Lost in New York
by pinkxjellybean
Summary: Part two of my Guardians series. Rikki and Frankie are on post in NYC at the Museum. Not everything is as it seems. Secrets will be revealed and coffee drunk. AHK/OC. Reviews greatly appreciated.
1. Meeting the Pharaoh

**AN: Ok, heres part 2. Seriously, you guys, I want reviews. If i don't get them, I will abandon theproject, assuming no one has anything nice to say.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DONT OWN IT. If I did, the editing would have gone way different.**

RIKKI

We landed in New York City outside of the Museum of Natural History. I scatter the people who wander the streets, with magic.

The exhibits exit the plane, in pairs, so no one would wander off and get lost. They walk up the stairs with their buddies. Dexter the Capuchin Monkey sits on Frankie's shoulder, holding the tablet. Since it was our job to return the tablet so, we must return it.

"Hey, Dex," Larry calls after us, " Make sure that tablet gets back to Ahk!"

"We got this!" Frankie calls over her shoulder.

I sigh.

The monkey leads us to Ahkmenrah's exhibit by pointing the way from Frankie's shoulder. At the last turn, Dexter hops from her shoulder and starts to scurry towards a door then stops short and sits down, tablet in front of him, as a young man comes around the corner. He looks down at Dexter, "Why am I not surprised?"

The monkey chitters something then holds the tablet up some.

The man smiles, "I know, " he picks up the tablet, and stows it under his arm, "You should get to where you ought to be, my friend."

Dexter chitters again before scurrying off.

The man happens to look up and see us for the first time. He looks mildly perplexed by our presence there. He's older than I remember him, but it's him, certainly. I would know him anywhere. He is Ahkmenrah, "Who are you?"

"You don't remember me, little Ahkie?" I ask.

He almost grimaces at the nick-name, but then his face lights up, "Rikki?!" he runs forward and embraces me, "I haven't seen you since I was a child!"

"I always knew you'd grow up to be handsome," I smile, then remember Frankie standing there next to me, regarding Ahkmenrah in such a curious way, "This is my apprentice, Ms. Frankie Marlow."

She curtsies, and Ahkmenrah bows his head a fraction of an inch, "A pleasure to meet you, " he smiles, looking at her with the oddest look on his face.

Frankie on the other hand looks surprised, "So, wait, you're Ahkmenrah?"

"I was last time I checked."

"But you can't be Kahmunrah's brother!"

His brows furrow, "What has my brother to do with me?"

Frankie's face goes bright pink, "Well, nuthin', I s'pose…it's just… yer`some what normal…'least from what I can tell…"

He smiles politely, as is he's not quite sure what to make of her, "Will you be in tomarrow?"

"Yes," I respond for her, "We'll be here for two months."

Frankie looks confused at me, because I haven't told her the news yet.

"Then I will see you tomarrow," he bows and walks back into his exhibit.

Daley let us stay with him at his apartment, on the pull out. Personally I found it to be a bad idea, not that anyone really ever listens to me. But we needed a place to stay. We were on post here in New York now. We are to stay for two months or unless we are sent for.

Daley excuses himself while Frankie fixes up the pull out. He points out the bathroom.

"You go first," I instruct Frankie, gesturing towards the bathroom.

She collects her bag, leaving her longboard on the floor next to the couch. While she washes, I unpack my few possessions into the cabnet Daley was loaning us for storage. Frankie re-enters quickly, hair dried and straightened, "The shower actually runs hot water. I know it's depressin' but I'd gone 'n forgotten how good hot water feels."

The showers in Magwitch run cold water for the most part. If you got water temperature above 50 degrees, you were lucky, and envied. She was right, it felt amazing. When I washed and came back into the living room, Frankie was already asleep, curled up in a ball, covers kicked back. I lay down on the other side of her, and let myself fall asleep for the first time in so long with out worrying.


	2. crutons and soy sauce

**AN: Hey everybody. I have stated for months that I want reviews. It was brought to my attention by Lone Wolf that the statement is rather broad. Lone Wolf asked if I want critique on character or writing style, approval, or what you want to see next. My answer is D. All of the above. If you don't like it, want to help, have an idea that you want me to use, or just plain like my story, please tell me so. I just want to know that this has actually caught someone's attention, and that I don't suck. Thanks.**

RIKKI'S POV

I woke up the next morning. No, not morning. It was afternoon. I got up and go into the kitchen alcove. There's a boy of maybe thirteen at the counter, siting across from Frankie, who was clearly not awake. He's dressed and properly groomed, Frankie on the other hand looks like she just rolled out of bed and crawled into the kitchen in search of food. She ladles something that looks like crutons in some dark liquid.

"Frankie, what is that?"

"Cereal," she says.

"It's actually crutons in soy sauce," the kid says, mildly grimacing.

I frown and take the bowl away from the absent minded apprentice, and pour the contents into the garbage disposal. I open the fridge and shift some things around. There isn't much in there, some eggs I could use. I make some eggs and eat my share, "Who exactly are you, if I may ask?"

"I'm Nick Daley. Larry's my dad."

"Speaking of Daley, where is he?"

"He went to work," Nick says, calmly.

"And he left you with two women he doesn't know?"

"Well, he let you stay here so he must trust you in some way."

I tap Frankie's head, "go make yourself pretty."

"I already am," she yawns up at me.

"That's debatable."

She gets up slowly and works her way over to the bathroom.

"So, you guys were at the Smithsonian with my dad?" Nicky asks.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It is our job. We're going to be working here for a while too."

"Are you coming to the museum tonight?"

"Yes."  
"Is it your job?"

"Yes."

"What exactly do you do?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that at the present," I stand and rinse off the plates, "I'll leave it at that."

FRANKIE'S POV

That night we go to the Museum, because we're supposed to be sure nothing screwy happens. You know, other than the fact that all of the museum exhibits come to life at night… Sorta like a two-month long follow up. Larry gets us in with a key or something. The thing I hate about the city is that you've got to wear shoes. I don't much care for shoes, but Rikki says I can't very well prance about the city with bare feet like some class of wild hellion.

Any way, so I go down to give the waxworks the heads up that the coast is all clear. When I get back up to the lobby, Nicky's pleading with Kahmunrah's brother, Ahkmenrah. From my understanding, Nicky and Ahkmenrah haven't seen each other in two years. I guess they must've been pretty swell pals, because Nicky's pleading with Ahkmenrah, asking if they're still friends.

"If you had really thought of me as your friend, then you would have at least called. What kind of friend goes two years with out so much as a phone call?"

Nicky looks really down, "I'm sorry."

Ahkmenrah chuckles and tousels Nicky's hair, "I'm joking, Nicky, of course you're still my friend."

I shake my head at them, dropping my bag and long board behind the front desk, looking away when they both look at me.

"Ahk, this is Frankie," Nicky says by way of introduction, "She's staying with us."

"We've met."

"Nice to see you again," I bow my head quickly. He returns the gesture, and smiles. I can't help but smile back. I think he don't look much like his bother, or act like him neither.

Then a metal man walks by heavily. He points at me, then says something in Italian so fast I can't understand a lick of it, I'm pretty sure there was some Spanish in there too, but he talked to fast to be sure. Then he leaves.  
"What'd he say?" I ask.

The two of them shrug.

"He does that sometimes," Nicky says, "You get used to it."

"Does anyone understand him? I mean, I speak Italian fluently, and I didn't get that."

"The Neanderthals," Ahkmenrah says, "Atleast I assume so, since they play soccer on the same team."

"Soccer? Like the sport?"

"Yes."

"Cool." I don't really know what else I can say in this situation.

It's alright though, because Rikki comes to my rescue, "Hello, Ahkmenrah."

"Hello, Rikki," he smiles at her.

I scoop up my board, "I'm gonna go find Jed 'n Octavius!" I says and kick off on the ground.

"Don't do anything illegal," Rikki warns.

"No promises."

"Do you really think you ought to long board inside?" Rikki asks, but I pretend I don't hear her.

RIKKI'S POV

I sigh.

"She's alittle like you." Ahkmenrah says, "when you were an apprentice."

"I did have some restraint."

We fall into a rather mundane conversation with President Roosevelt and Sakajawea, until there's a scream that I know to belong to Frankie.

I get up and run in the direction that the scream had come from, Nicky, Ahkmenrah, Sakajawea, and Roosevelt, following.


	3. Complete and Unadulterated Adorableness!

**AN: Thanks to the two of you that have reviewed. To the rest of you, please follow the wonderful example of your fellow readers. That's out of the way. I want to let you know that this story doesn't really have a particular story line. It's really more of a collection of short stories. I just want to let you know, in case you get really in to it, and at the end go, "Dude, that had no story line! It was really more of a collection of short stories. Why didn't she let me know?" **

**So here's the third chapter. Enjoy.**

FRANKIE'S POV

Rikki ran in with Ahkmenrah, and Sacajawea close behind.

"What happened?" she demands.

"Nothin'…"I smile as innocently as I can.

"I heard screaming."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't me."

"There isn't anyone else around, so it is a logical assumption that you were the source of the utterance."

"Well… I weren't the one to do it."

Rikki looked at me with an annoyed look, and she rolled her eyes. Upon doing this, her eyes fell on the display case that my longboard was sticking out of, "What in the name of all that is holy-"

I chuckled nervously, "Yeah, 'bout that. I was actually just on my way to fix that?"

"Were you?"

I grin, "Of course, you don' think I'd go 'n leave that broken glass all over the floor do ya?"

"Did you hurt yourself?" Rikki asks, grabbing hold of me and quickly checking me over for wounds of any serious sort. She pulls her hand away from my head and looks at it, "Did you hit your head? It was bleeding."

"I'm alright."

"Good, then you will be able to take care of this mess on your own," Rikki states, turning on her heel and strolls away, Sacajawea followed just as Teddy managed to catch up to the group. They leave the room, so I could assume the duty of cleaning up my mess.

"This is yours?" Ahkmenrah holds out my board.

"Yeah, thanks," I glance over my shoulder at the broken glass, and I sigh, "Doggone it…"

"Do you want some help?"

"No, I can do it myself," I scoop up all of the glass and slid it into the case, and dug a piece of charcoal from my pocket, and look at him, "C'n I get y'anythin'?"

"No," Ahkmenrah walked away.

I drew a charter symbol on the floor infront of the display case, and murmur softly as I trace the symbol. The spell morphs the glass into a silvery liquid, then it follows my hand gestures until it refills the pane and solidifies, and goes transparent.

"That worked out for the best," I murmur.

"Yeah, you really had us worried there, princess," Jed says as I take him out of my pocket and Octavius out of the other pocket.

"Dude, for so tiny a guy, you got quite a set of lungs on you," I tell Octavius.

"You scream like a girl!"Jed yells.

"I do not!" the general protests.

"Yeah, dude ya kinda do…." I state.

"I wouldn't if you didn't drive in the manner of a mad woman, I wouldn't scream."

"I didn't even do anything mad yet, silly little man. Would you prefer to walk?"

"Yes," he says all smug.

"Fine 'n ducky with me," I set him down, "what 'bout you, Jed?"

Jed snorts, "put me back in the pocket, and let's go!"

"Can do," I slip him carefully back into the pocket.

"On second thought…" Octavius says in a small voice.

"You want in?"

He nods, and gets stowed in the other pocket.

I hop on the deck and floor it. The floors are polished stone which feels amazing under the soft rubber of my Longboards wheels. At the stairs, I hop the deck up onto the railing and grind my way down it, then hop off at the last second and bank over to where Rikki is talking to Sacajawea, "You always did like theatric entrances,"

"Thank you, " I stage bow dramatically, and then take the miniatures from my pocket. Jed walks in a dizzy little circle while Octavius sits down and looks positively green, "sorry guys."

"And you have the gall to say that you aren't a lunatic of that thing!' Octavius declares angrily waving his fist until he realizes that the motion makes him dizzier.

"I'm sorry," I say, trying not to laugh at the poor little guys.

"Are you kidding?" Jed shouts, "That was AMAZING!"

Rikki lets out a small sigh, "Of course it was."

"So what're you janes jawing on 'bout?" I ask.

"General Custer," Sacajawea states.

"Ugh, what a moron."

"Well, he was the bottom of his military class at West Point," Rikki points out.

"Is it truly so easy to become a general?" asks Sacajawea.

"Not anymore."

Something shiny on the other side of the lobby catches my eye. I turn my head to the object that has caught my attention. Ahkmenrah. He is talking with Larry, Nicky, Teddy and Attila on the other side of the room.

Rikki snapps her fingers in front of my eyes, "Frankie!" she shouted at me, for what must have been at least the fourth time.

"Huh?"

"Are you with us, girl?"

"Yeah."

"Really? Because from where I stand it looks as if you are in lalaland staring at a certain pharaoh."

"Well, I wasn't."

"Really?"

"I wasn't! It's just… I've the attention span of a goldfish, and he's got some seriously shiny threads."

"Oh, yes, of course."

"He is handsome," Sacajawea feels the need to point out, as if I were blind or something.

I shrug as non-chalantly as I can.

"He was always a good looking kid," Rikki says calmly, she withdrew the pocket ledger that she always carried with her that was covered in rough looking leather, and held shut by a long leather cord that wrapped around the book. She opened it and dug out a photograph. It was old and a little worn. It showed a little boy from the shoulders up. The boy was maybe four years old. He had a pcshent (Egyptian crown) on his head that was far too large and that covered his head to his brow, and would probably have gone lower if his hands weren't pushing it up out of his eyes. There was a wide genuinely happy smile on his face.

"Is that baby Ahkmenrah?" Sacajawea asked, in awe of the adorableness.

Rikki nods.  
"Oh, squee he's cute," I snatch the photo and look at it.

Jed laughs, but I'm not sure why the photo is funny. I just think it's cute. Eventually the group on the other side of the room send Nicky over to see what has so afflicted the women folk.

"Look, it's baby Ahkmenrah!" I declare.

"I'll pass it on," Nicky starts back over to the group to tell them of his findings, which results with all of the men folk coming over to us as if to corroborate Nicky's finding. Attila makes baby talk noises at the photo, which make Ahkmenrah turn pink in the face, "I can't believe you kept that."

"You were adorable, man," Larry states as if it will make the Pharaoh feel better about having his baby pictures shown off.

"You have ruined my image," Ahkmenrah says to Rikki.

"Your image?" Sacajawea asks, "What is your image?"

"Oh, you know. I'm aloof and mysterious."

There is almost a full minute before everyone bursts into laughter. Everyone but me. I just tilt my head, and look at him.

**Ok, guys, time to click this little green button down here. You don't even have to be a registered reader.**

**Please and Thank you.**


	4. Janitors and Roman Candles

**Hey peoples of earth. Here's chapter 4 of my story.**

**LoneWolf: I greatly appreciate your continued reviewage. In your last review you mentioned that you like the light-heartedness of my stories. I do try to keep it light, but there will in future chapters be themes that aren't exactly happy. In fact, one of my OCs reveals her past, most of which is far from Daisy and Sunshine. Just alerting you to this, in case you don't want to read that material. But again, thanks.**

FRANKIE'S POV

Now, one may wonder as to how one tidies up the mess of a hundred fun-loving museum exhibits. The solution to the dilemma is really a very simple one. You simply hire Night Janitors.

The second night or so, Ahkmenrah gave me a tour of the facilities. We crossed the path of three elderly gents mopping up the mess that the Neanderthals had made with the fire extinguishers. They love that stuff.

"They used to be the night guards," Ahkmenrah explained, "But they tried to steal my tablet and frame Larry," His wide eyes narrow, then go back to normal, "now they clean up after us."

"Sucks for them," I say.

Ahkmenrah points to the floor in front of the smallest night janitor, who was smaller even than me, "You missed a spot."

"Put a lid on it, chump-change!" the tiny man yelled.

"Gus…" said the elderly African-American man, whose name I later found out was Reginald, in a warning tone.

"Oh! Yer just adorable! C'n I hug you?" I wrap my arms around the tiny man before he can even answer. The tiny spunky man takes a moment to fully comprehend the situation, and then shoved me back.

"Touch me again and I'll beat you with my fists!" he waves his balled knuckles at me.

"I think I c'n take you, my tiny friend!" I tell him, grinning, over my shoulder, as Ahkmenrah leads me away, chuckling.

Ahkmenrah shows me around the rest of the museum, ending the tour outside of his exhibit. I peer in to the room, up at the Anubis guards, "Frightening fellows…" I remark, "your whole joint's pretty spooky."

He shrugs, "it's not so bad, really. It's just that it's night time, that tends to add an air of macabre."  
"I s'pose yer right."

RIKKI'S POV

Two nights later, there was an explosion in the lobby. Larry and I ran down in time to see Ahkmenrah, Frankie, Jed, and Octavius staring up at a scuff mark on the ceiling, a totaled, and charred R/C car at their feet.

"Oh, flip…" Frankie murmurs as me walk in, then slaps on a grin, "Hey, guys. What's up?"

"What happened to that car?" Larry stares at the R/C Car, ignoring the marks all over the ceiling, "and why are there wasted roman candles duct taped to the sides of it?"

"Well..." Octavius laughs, and says in a supremely sarcastic tone, "It's really a funny story. Jed wanted a flying car you see, and Frankie built him on. As you can see from the car and the ceiling, the test drive was a complete and utter failure."

"Dude!" Frankie exclaimed.

Jed whacked him over the head, "Rat."

I snatch Frankie by the pointed ear, "YOU STRAPED ROMAN CANDLES TO AN R/C CAR THEN SET THEM OFF IN A MUSEUM?!"

"Uh… maybe…" Frankie smiles innocently. If I didn't know her, I might actually believe the innocence that she portrays.

"Actually," Ahkmenrah steps over, "The roman candles were my idea…"

I let go of Frankie's ear, anger dispelled, "Oh, ok, then."

"Ahkmenrah, is it chill if I blame all my antics on you from now on?" Frankie asks, rubbing her sore ear.

**Cick it.**

**\/**


	5. The Monkey Took My iPhone

**AN: I love you folks that have reviewed. To the rest of you, why aren't you? I meant ti when I said I was fine with constructive crit. So PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Lone Wolf: You asked if there would be any more Capone in my work. The answer is hopefully yes. Not in this story, but in one of the other works in this series. I'm currently trying to figure out how to bring him in to the story, because he is quite a character. **

Of course we had to work while we were in New York. There was this killing, you see. A girl, named Ana who was living in a cheap motel out in queens. The papers said it was a cult killing. The case would have gone to the regular authorities except for the nature of the murder. She was killed by an unregistered vampire.

Let me explain.

There is an underground magical community, which I've explained in the past. One part of the community is the vampiric community. That community is ruled by a council (as is each separate race) that has some serious rules, such as no infecting humans, no risking exposure of the community, and all vampires must be registered. There are files kept on each vampire, and a vile of their venom is kept as well incase there is a vampiric murder, so that the killer can be tracked down.

The murderer in this case was unregistered. We combed the area where the girl was found as well as any places she was known to hang out. we went to her apartment and searched through everything. For a whole week we worked to get anything on this girl, but all we were able to track down was her birth certificate, a missing person's report filed by her parents, and not much else. All we knew was that she had run away from home at thirteen and had run aground.

It was weird in a way to learn what little we could about her because when Rikki told me that she had been a runaway, she looked at me like she was saying "It could have been you."

We work with this one vampire named Zero who was sore over a shojen manga stole his name and his look for one of their stories. He helped us as much as he possibly could since his job was on the line just as much if not more than ours. He was a ducky gent for a vamp, if impressionable. See, Rikki has a wee bit of a reputation as a bad-ass, which is of course is reflected to me, since I am her ward. I couldn't help but take advantage of that, resulting in Zero carrying a jelly doughnut around in a cage for a while. He named the doughnut and kept it as a pet at my urging… that's a story for a different day. Back to the story at hand.

In the week that we work on the case, we don't go to the museum. But after a week with nothing, you figure, you need a break. Rikki sent me to the museum because I was working so hard on the case that I wasn't really sleeping all that well, because Rikki was right. It could have been me. There was so much in common between us.

But I was so happy to be in the museum that I swore I would hug everyone in the museum, and that worked out pretty well, until Dexter stole my iphone…

I was chasing the cantankerous capuchin around a corner when I collided with a person and almost fell back on my arse. The person caught me before I fell so it was cool.

"Are you alright?" Ahkmenrah asked.

I grin up at him, "Hullo, Ahkmenrah, I'm alright." I hesitate, torn between my most solemn oath to hug everyone and my need to regain my iphone.

"I thought I heard you. You haven't been around in a few days."

I melt a little with his smile, "well… ya know… how've you been?"

"Well enough, I suppose, you?"

How am I? I am good. I am alright.

"I missed you." What in the name of all that is mildly honorable made me say that!?

"I missed you too," he smiles sweetly and I melt in to the floor.

"I was,uh…" what was I doing? I remember when Dexter chitters at me from the floor behind Ahkmenrah.

"Monkey!" I lunge at the capuchin, falling flat on my face. Dexter monkey smiles then uses my head as a spring board and jumps up onto Ahkmenrah's shoulder, chittering as happily as he possibly could.

"Dexter…" said Ahkmenrah in a warning tone, and held his hand out to the monkey, "Could I please have Frankie's phone?"

Dexter dropped the phone into Ahkmenrah's open hand, before leaping off of the shoulder and bouncing away.

Ahkmenrah helps me to my feet and hands me back my iphone.

"Thanks," I mutter, embarrassed of my clumsiness. The memory of my most solemn oath fills my mind and I wrap my arms around the pharaoh, only meaning to hug him for a second. However, his arms wrapped around me, and held me in place. For a minute or so, I forget to pull away. 'He's so warm…' I think to myself, partially dazed, but pull back suddenly, "Sorry- thanks… I'll see you 'round," I start in the other direction, feeling too warm.

"Where are you going?" he asks, walking next to me.

"Prolly, up to see Jed 'n Octavius."

He seemed to be walking closer, but I'm not sure whether or not he really was,"May I escort you?"

"If ya'd really like to. I mean- I can't exactly tell ya what to do in yer own home," I was rambling.

"You could if it would make you uncomfortable."  
"Who says I'd be made uncomfortable by the like o' you?" I ask, possibly more challenging than I ought to have.

He sort of smiles, "I was simply offering an example."

"Oh…" I cast my eyes down to the floor. Damn it all.

**Review, sil- tu plait.**


	6. I Act Foolishly surprise surprise

Zero got a tip through the grapevine what said that, our runaway Ana used to hangout in a club over on the upper west side. Of course we went to the club to see if we can get anything, so we can catch this blood-sucking bastard. It was Rikki's idea to check it out. I wear this slinky black clubbing number and a pair of black heels that I pinched from a shop. I do my make up so I can pass for twenty-one, and Rikki cooks up some fake I.D.s for us.

The plan was simple. We'd get in, ask about the employees in the club to see if anyone was suspicious, or if they remembered Ana. Take a look about the club to see if anyone looks suspicious. Get out.

Simple, right?

Well, nothing ever really is as simple as e plan it, is it?

We forgot to factor in that I attract creepers. The creepers in that club are not exempt to that rule. Everything is foggy, like it was a dream, but I know it was real. I was talking to a bartender about whether or not there were any gents what came in really often, and he was trying to recall. He took a quick break, and asked if I wanted a drink. I remember ordering a dry martini, so as to not look outta place. That's the last thing that I clearly remember.

Rikki told me that the bartender was walking me out to his car when she caught up to us. She gets me into a cab, and tells the driver to take us to the museum since it's closer than Larry's apartment.

AHKMENRAH'S POV

The soft slow clicking of the high-heeled shoes comes down the hall to me outside of the Hall of African Mammals. I hear Frankie's shoes before I see her. She leans her shoulder against the wall as she walks, to keep her from falling. She walks so slowly towards me. A few feet from me, she stops and smiles, "Hey."

I walk over to her, "Are you alright? You don't look well."

"I'm just fine an' dandy!" she slurs still grinning.

"Have you been drinking?"

"May haps," she slurs, wrapping her arms around my neck, one then the other.

She was drunk. She wasn't herself. Something in me instructs me to take her arms from around me, but my body is nonresponsive to the order that my brain is sending out. My eyes won't stay on hers, nor do I really want them to. Her dress is held up by these thin straps on her shoulders, and clings to her form as far as her hips before it loosens up at all.

"D'y'like me like this?" she asks, too close to my face, "D'y'like the way I'm dressed? The way I look?"

"It's different…"

"It's good?" her hand strokes the back of my neck.

"Yes… Frankie… what are you doing?"

"Shhh. It's a surprise," she whispers. Her breath is warm, and smells like alcohol. Her face was so close to mine, "Yer very good, Ahkmenrah," she whispers.

I pull back from her.

Her face fell, " Ya don' like me?"

"I do."  
She smiles and pulls me back to her, "well, alright then."

"I can't do that, Frankie."

"Why ever not?" she asks in the most confused voice.

"Because you aren't yourself right now," I calmly explain.

"I am me?" she asks, then looks to me to confirm her statement.

"You are drunk, and that is the only reason that you want to kiss me."

"You don' wanna kiss me?'

"Not right now."

She leaned back against the wall and slowly slides down to the floor, and sits there with a thoroughly depressed look on her face.

I kneel down in front of her, "You are my friend."

"Friend…"

"Are you angry with me?"

she doesn't respond to my question, but reaches her arms out to me, "Help, if y'please. I don' feel so very good, would y'mind helpin' me up? Please?"

I help her to her feet only to find that she can't walk more than a few feet before she stumbles, even with her shoulder on the wall.

"Do you want me to carry you?" I ask.

Frankie reached her arms out like a child asking to be lifted. I pick her up and carry her to the lobby. She is quiet most of the way so I can't tell if she's angry or not for not returning her affections, but I don't mind. Her affections weren't real. In the morning, she won't feel anything for me. She won't hate me for saying no. In fact, Frankie will will probably thank me for it.

Frankie presses her face into my usehk (collar), "D'ya really like me?"

"Yes, I do, " I tell her.

Her arms tighten about my neck, "I like ya too. But don' tell Ahk, 'kay. 'Tis a secret."

"Alright I won't tell."

"Yer sweet," she murmurs, part of the way asleep.

"Thank you."


	7. The Next Day

**AN: sorry if you thought the last chapter was rough, it's not like i have a lotta feedback to work with. anyway, here's the next chapter.**

FRANKIE'S POV

When I woke up the next afternoon, I felt like a horse had kicked me in the head. Rikki tisked disdainfully, but wouldn't answer my inquiries as to what exactly had happened the night before, making me feel more than a tad worried. I knew I must've done something more than just mildly jank. I sort through the jumbled confusion that was my memories of the previous night.

I remember drinking and being drunk… but I can't remember exactly what I did in the gap between drinking and going to sleep. I remember being in the museum, and Ahkmenrah, and the feeling that he had carried me, and what Ahk was some how related to what Rikki was tisking about.

No one within the museum is of much help either. They don't say anything, but they do ask if I'm feeling better, and I say that I am, because I'm not hung over as bad now. Teddy sorta smiled sympathetically, and patted my head.

I go up to the diorama room to ask Jed and Octavius if they know anything. I plop infront of Jed's diorama, and rest my chin on my arms which rest on the ledge.

"Hey, princess," Jed said, walking over to the ledge.

"Don't call me princess, dude. I've gotta ask you somethin'," I explain.

"Shoot."

"Did you see me last night?"  
"No, but I heard you fell off the wagon."

"Yeah… kinda sorta. I think I did somethin' dumb but I can' t remember what it was exactly."

"I don't know, but maybe you can ask Octie. He's scrambling the troops or something," the tiny cowboy waved his arm dismissingly at the roman empire display, "I'll go find him."

After a few minutes, Octavius appeared, Jed at his heals, "I regret, my lady, that I am unable to assist you or to offer any testimony as to your actions last night."

I sigh, "alrighty… guess I've gotta go ask Ahkmenrah…" I get up, reluctantly, "I'll see you lot on the flip-flop."

The hallway to Ahkmenrah's crypt is long and monotonous. And at the same time, a nervousness gnaws away at my stomach. About halfway to the crypt I run into him.

He bows his head a little, but seems to struggle to make eye contact.

"Hey, Ahkmenrah, I need your help."

He looks at me, and says, "I will do what I can."

" I need you tell me what I did last night. I can't remember, but I know I saw you."

He sits on a nearby bench and is quiet for a few minutes. His hands sit folded in his lap and he stares at them. Ahkmenrah looks at me when I sit next to him, a calculating look on his face. After what seems like hours he says, "You were drunk…"

"Yes, I know, but what did I do?"  
"You talked to me."

"What did I say?"  
"Nothing serious, just that we were friends, and you asked my opinion on your attire."

"I feel as if I did stupider things than that…"

He smiles, "Your head must hurt."

"Oh, it does."

"Your hair is different to night. It's curly."

"Don't change the subject. What else did I do?"

He sighs in this weird way then says, "You attempted to touch your lips to mine..

I groan and lean my head back against the wall, "Jesus, man, I'm sorry."

He looks at me weird, "It's alright."  
"Not really. I swear man, I was straight blotto(drunk)."

"You didn't succeed if that makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't really… how can I make it up to you, man?"  
"It really isn't a problem."

"My conscience needs purgin'. You wants I should smuggle you a beer?" I feel myself grin, mischieviously.

"You would get in trouble."

"Since when does that bother me? Anything you want. Anything."

**If you want to know what Ahk's request is, someone will review. I have an idea for the request, but if you have an idea, let me know. please!**


	8. Coffee and Liquid Sugar

**AN: Hello, here's the next chapter. Thank you to my anonymous reviewer. From here on out, I won't put up a new chapter until it gets atleast one review. I'm not joking, I need feedback. So tell me if you like, dont like, or just have and idea that you'd like to see. The coffee idea is credited to lazaefair, who is awsum.**

AHKMENRAH'S POV

"No, really. I hold no qualms," I assured her.

"Yeah, but I feel like I still owe you one. You wanna coffee 'r somethin'?"

I pause, and think about it, "Coffee, huh?"

"I can hook you up with the nearest starbucks," she smiles, "But you'd have to ditch your garb," she gets up, "I'll see if I can get Larry to donate his clothes to a good cause," then she slips off before I can say anything further. She returns a few minutes later with Larry's street clothes, and a pair of sneakers in hand, "It took some sneakiness on my part, but I got you some threads. You know how to use zippers, right?"  
"Yes, of course," I take the clothes from her and go to change. When I return I ask her if I am wearing everything properly, just to be sure. I had opted to keep my own shoes as Larry's didn't fit quite right.

She looks at me for a moment with something of a blank stare. Then she nods, "yeah, it's chill. The trousers're a touch short, but that's coz yer a smidge taller'n Larry. Come along," she starts down the hall.

We almost got through the door when Rikki stops us, "where are you going?" she asks.

I freeze in place.

Frankie calmly looks over her shoulder, "Starbucks. C'n I bring y'anythin'?"

"No, but make sure you have him back by sunrise."

"Got it."

Once we got outside, I ask, "How long does she think we'll be gone? It's only nine o'clock."

"She just figures that ya never know what c'n happen."

"It's strange to just walk down the street. In the last three thousand years, I've only been outside once," I tell her when we come to a stop light, "and that was when my tablet was stolen."

"You haven't been out but that once?"

"No."

"Dude, I gotta jack you more often!"

"I believe I would appreciate it."

She grins, and starts across the street. In the coffee shop, Frankie places the orders and the drinks are done in a few minutes.

"What is that?" I ask her as I add sugar to the coffee, nodding tot he white drink she sips.

"Vanilla Bean Frappacino," she smiles, "wanna try?"

I look at the frothy cold drink that she holds out to me. Frankie looks at me patiently, a small smile on her lips.

"Sure, why not? I sip some from the green straw, and grimace.

She laughs, "What? Don' like it?"

"It's like liquid sugar."

"Sorry, I've an incurable sweet tooth. Guess I shoulda warned ya."

We walk while we drink and sit on the steps of the museum.

"Your hair is different," I point out, meaning it as a question.

"I forgot to straighten it last night. This is the reaction of my hair to being not straightened."

"So… you mean that's what it naturally looks like?"

"You could say that if you had to," she plays with the key around her neck, "I look like hell."

'No, you don't. I think it looks better that way," I said, taking a drink of coffee.

"What d'ya think of it?" I must have looked confused because she nods to the cup in my hand, "the coffee."

"Oh, it's alright."

"My pops makes the best brew around. You'll have to try it sometime."

I start tosay something, but stop. The streetlights shine on her face and catch in her hair. She looks… beautiful.

Her smile wavers alittle, "what?"

"Nothing," I force my eyes away from her and drink some more of the drink, "where are you from?"

"Originally DC. It's alittle ways south o' here."

"Your accent isn't American," I state, mildly confused.

"No, it's welsh. I picked it up when I was working over there. What about yours?"

"I learned English while on display at Cambridge."

"Figured I was something to that effect."

We sit there and talk for about an hour. A few times I make her laugh, and it thrills me in a way that I can't discribe or explain.

And I'm sad when she stands up and tosses her empty cup in a nearby trash bin, "I oughta get you back b'fore Larry realizes I've jacked you 'n calls the flatfoots on me."

I toss my cup and follow her up the steps to the door.

**You know what to do!**


	9. It Wasn't a Date

**AN: Thank you to those of you who have added me or my story to your favorites or alerts. It does make me feel like my work is appreciated, but about twenty people have read this. I really want to believe that out of the twenty of you, one of you like my stuff enough to want to hit that little review button at the bottom of the page. you guys seem to think i'm joking when I say that I feel like no one wants to read this. I am left to assume that no one has anything nice to say to me. review. I am really begging you guys here.**

AHKMENRAH'S POV

Frankie follows me up to my exhibit and the whole walk I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with her. From what I've seen in movies, dates are supposed to end with a kiss… so I was trying to figure out if she expected me to kiss her. But the whole situation might only apply if I were to walk her home. Furthermore, I wasn't even sure that what we'd done was an actual date.

Yet if I wasn't supposed to do anything with her, why was she following me? I was more or less sure that she had something better to do with her time than to walk me up to my room.

When we get to the door of the exhibit, I stop and look at her, hoping she will give me some clue as to what exactly I was supposed to do.

"If you could change… I gotta give Larry his clothes back," she says.

"Oh, yeah, right, of course. One moment," I rush into the exhibit to change out of the strange clothes. Of course she was just waiting for Larry's clothes so she could return them. What else would she possibly want? She never called it a date, or implied it was anything more than her trying to make up for her behavior the night before. I fold the clothes and hand them to Frankie, "Thank you, it was fun."

"Yeah, we'll do it again sometime," she says, smiling over her shoulder as she walks away from me.

I stand in the hallway and watch until she goes around the corner, out of my sight. Something in me twinges a little at her departure, but I shake it off, blaming the caffine.

FRANKIE'S POV

'Well,' I think to myself, 'I got through that without making a total fool of my self.'

But I find that I'm smiling. I feel warm and happy, though I haven't the foggiest as to why. I give Larry his clothes back, and he looked mildly bewildered as to what I was doing with them in the first place.

"How was the date?" Rikki asked.

"It wasn't a date," I say quickly.

"Oh, really?" she smirks.

"It wasn't! It was more of an apology for me tryin' to neck him."

"Is that why he carried you back in his arms?" Rikki asked, eyebrow raised.

Larry stares on, not sure what exactly I had said.

"Yeah… I took him for a coffee since I prolly freaked him out."

"We'll see…"


	10. I am a Fool

RIKKI'S POV

Almost a week later, I walked out of the Hall of Miniatures, looking for Frankie, and more than a little confused as to why she wasn't there, because she usually is planning mischief with a certain cowboy when I can't find her.

I stick my head in to the Hall of American History, simply for the sake of it, not because I thought I would actually find her there. But she was there. She was sleeping on a bench with her head in Ahkmenrah's lap. Ahkmenrah strokes her hair softly. I walk quietly, but Ahkmenrah looks up as I walk towards them.

"She fell asleep," he said as if such was necessary, smiling down at her.

"I can see that. I'll take her," I assure him and start to reach for her.

"That's alright", he says, not even looking up.

Curiosity that had started in the back of my mind, started to creep forward in to my alert consciousness, "Are you sure?"

He continues to smile," I am quite sure", he smoothed some hair out of her face gently, as not to wake her. I stand there watching a moment, unsure of the situation. Ahkmenrah looks up at me, "Was there something that you require?"

"No, not really," I start away.

I leave the room thinking of what I have seen and what it means.

AHKMENRAH'S POV

I do not wish to give up this moment so quickly. When Frankie's eyes flutter open and focus on me, she sits up quickly.

"Did you have pleasant dreams?" I inquire.

"Yes," she replies, blush creeping in over her cheeks.

"I am glad."

She stretches her arms up over her head, then glances down at her phone and gasped, "It's almost sunrise!"

"Yes."

"I am sorry, Ahkmenrah. I guess I screwed up your night, it seems that's all I'm capable of."

"My night was not wasted, Frankie," I assure her, "I was glad to keep watch over you."

She regards me with her head tilted to the side. The blush is still on her cheeks, and I feel an undeniable urge to smile. The warmth I have felt for hours, grows and consumes me.

Frankie wraps her arms around herself, "You're a nice guy," she says in the soft lilting way that she has of speaking.

I chuckle and she gets up and starts walking. I get up, eager to follow her. I hurry after her, "Why do you say this?"

"Most dudes woulda ditch'd, ya know. They'd've left me there soon as I fell out, n' gone off on their own merry way."

"The idea never crossed my mind," I admit.

"Roight." She says and I know she doesn't believe me.

"Frankie…" I stop her, holding her arm. She faces me, "I- you're-"

She looks at me intently. I can't find my words, or my breath or anything. All I can find is the warmth that has gotten to be too much, and a discomfort in my chest, "Yes?" she asks, prompting me to say something.

I still can't think of anything. I want to say so much. So many things, none of which I can actually say. So many things I want to do, but I'm not sure she would let me do.

"You ought to get more rest," I say finally, just to say something.

Her eyebrow raises a touch, "I'll work on that," she smiles on, "I'll see you tomorrow night, then," she starts away and I go into my tomb, thinking to myself.

I put my crown into its display case, next to the death mask that had covered my face for thousands of years, and run my fingers through my hair, 'Gods,' I think, 'I am a fool,' I climb into my sarcophagus and start to close the lid as the sun rose, 'I am a fool, and now she knows it.'


	11. I Could Benchpress that Twig

**AN: I won't bother asking for reviews,because I know I'm not going to get them no matter how much I beg. So, here's the next chapter.**

AHKMENRAH'S POV

A few nights later, Frankie is running around the museum frantically, her hair straightened, and pinned in a half updo. This would be a somewhat regular occurance if it weren't for the fact that she was wearing her black dress and yelling that she couldn't find one of her black pumps even though she knew she had left them both in the security office.

"Why did you leave them in the office?" Larry asked.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Rikki asked the question that I was personally more concerned with.

"Coz I got a date," Frankie said blindly reaching around under the couch in the office.

My heart falls through the floor, "You have a date?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Like someone asked you out?"

"Uh, yeah," she says, putting her shoes on.

"So, a guy saw you and thought you were pretty and asked you to go out with him?"

"Is it really that hard to believe?" Frankie asks, smiling. She gets up, "I gotta go put on makeup."

"You are already wearing some," Rikki points out.

"I need to wash it off and put better stuff on!" Frankie runs up the steps to the ladies room.

"She has a date?" I ask Rikki.

"I will go ask her."

RIKKI'S POV

"So… you have a date?" I ask, unsure how else to approach the situation.

"Kinda sorta," Frankie says, washing her face, and drying the water.

"Do I know this person?"

"It's a guy," Frankie says, rather helpfully, "and know you don't know him."

"Where did you meet?"

"He has information about our killer, and he'll only give it up if I go on a date with him."

"How do you even know this guy is telling the truth?"  
"I background check'd 'im, 'n he knows an awful lot 'bout the case that wasn't released by the cops."

"Then, he could be the guy."  
"Can't be. H'ain't a vamp. Part of the background is a blood test."

"You blood tested him?"  
"I ain't completely reckless, ya know," she finishes her makeup and starts out of the room, but stops dead after a few feet whenAhk tells her that Larry sent him to tell her that she ought to come down because there's a guy at the door, asking for her.

Frankie looks at me, her face somewhat pale, "I'm gonna have to sleep with'im!" she says.

"What?"

"He's gonna want me to sleep with him… what do I do?"

I don't know what to tell her to do, so I shrug uselessly, "use a condom?"

"That's useful," she remarks sarcastically.

AHKMENRAH'S POV

I don't want to stand here and listen to her say this, because it makes me feel sick to think about her with another man. But she's going with him out the door any way. He really isn't that impressive. He introduced himself to Larry as Olk. He was tall and thin as a stick, and with carrot colored hair that stood out at all angles. He wasn't especially attractive, but I don't know if I would call him ugly. Looking at him makes me think something that Frankie says sometimes to insult people.

'I could benchpress that twig...'

He saw Frankie and smiled and nodded, "Hey, babe."

"Hi, Olk," Frankie faked a smile.

She promises that she'll be back before sun up, then they leave, and I want to follow them, but I stay in place. Something dark inside of me hated Olk, though he has never done anything to cause me to hate him, nothing on purpose atleast.

He did not argue to letting her leave before sunrise, yet something in the way he looked at her reminded me of a man who has not eaten in days and has just sat down to a large meal. I wanted her to see it too, but either she didn't or did and didn't care, since she went along with him.

True to her word, Frankie is back before sunrise. Her hair is a mess and some of her makeup is smeared. She sorta smiles, but says in a tight voice, "His information was stuff that I had already deduced."

Rikki looks at her sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Frankie."

Frankie shrugs, "Shit happens, yeah? Atleast he corroborated my theory."

I want to hug her and tell her that Olk is a fool, but I would be a hypocrite to do so, and for whatever reason, she doesn't look too upset about the whole situation. But deep in her eyes, something looks broken, only for a moment, then she smiles, and the broken look is gone.


	12. How do Egyptians Walk?

AHKMENRAH'S POV

A few nights later, there was a soccer game, which as usual evolved into a party, because everyone is "pumped".

Frankie and Rikki deejay the party, using Frankie's ipod, her ihome that she "found" and had wired to blare from the speakers. Frankie sits up on the information desk counter, mixing playlists for the current and future parties. After an hour or so, a song blares through the speakers that demended that everyone with in hearing of the song "walk like an Egyptian".

"How do Egyptians walk differently than everyone else?" I ask her.

She laughs, "It's a dance from like thirty years ago, or somethin'," she hops down and starts to demonstrate, "Ya know, coz you guys draw all yer stuff in profile."

When she has succeeded at showing me the simplest form of this dance, she hops back up on the countertop.

"Why do you not dance?" I ask.

"I can't."

"Anyone can dance," I assure her.

"Yeah, but not everyone c'n dance well."

"Among friends it does not matter," I smile and hold my hand out to her.

"No," she smiles, blushing.

"I do not understand. You told me that you were afraid of nothing."  
"I'm not afraid," she said, still smiling but now somewhat defensive.

"Oh, ofcourse not," I smile slowly.

She sighs, and turns her head to Rikki, "you got this?"

"I believe I can handle it," Rikki nods, a small smile on her lips, "You go have fun."

She really wasn't such a horrible dancer as she makes it sound. She moved beautifully after she got over her nervousness. At first she kept looking around her like she was praying that no one would look at her, her face red. After a few minutes, she loosened up, and laughs and moves, "What on earth're ya doin'?" she asks gesturing to my mad dance moves.

I made a face at her, and she laughs, and I feel happy for making her laugh.

There is more or less an obligation on the part of the deejays to play a slow song atleast once. Frankie was still on the floor with me when the slow song started playing. She stopped moving for a second then started back from me.

I catch her by the arm, "Would you do me the honor?"

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?

Closed your eyes and trusted, just trusted?

Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?

Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, "I just don't care"?

She hesitates for a painful second. I smile so she will feel assured. She nods with the smallest of smiles on her lips. She slips her arms around my waist, and I put mine around her waist, but she doesn't look at me.

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?

Closed your eyes and trusted, just trusted?

Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?

Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, "I just don't care"?

"What are you looking at?" I ask.

"My feet," she says.

"Why?"

"So I don' step on yer feet."

"I trust you not to."

It's only half past the point of no return

The tip of the iceberg

The sun before the burn

The thunder before the lightning

The breath before the phrase

Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?

You're whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone

Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?

Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

She won't look up at me.

"Frankie."

Her eyes meet mine for a moment, "Yes?" she turns pink.

"It's alright."

She smiles then looks away.

"Why won't you look at me?" I ask.

She looks back up at me but doesn't reply.

It's only half past the point of oblivion

The hourglass on the table

The walk before the run

The breath before the kiss

And the fear before the flames

Have you ever felt this way?

La La La La La La La La

My face moves towards hers with out any thought on my part. I touch my nose to hers. She looks at me like she's wondering what the hell I just did and why. My face feels hot and I remember that that isn't the way it's done now.

I leaned back down and touched her lips with my own. It's only a second before she pulls back a little. But it felt so good, that I pulled her back to me gently. It really wasn't like anything that I had ever felt before. The closest thing I could think of by comparison was when I was a child in the gardens and would hold flowers against my face that had been warmed by the sun. Warm and soft.

There you are, sitting in the garden

Clutching my coffee,

Calling me sugar

You called me sugar

It takes a moment to realize that she isn't moving or reciprocating or anything. I look at her and she looked at me with this look in her eyes like betrayal, pain, and hatred, "You done then?"

"I-uh- I," I was trying to find the right words for an apology. The joy I had felt amoment ago shriveled and sunk into regret. Then the seeping pain in my face that followed the sound of a punch. She walked away quickly, up the stairs and away from me.

I am a fool and now everyone knows it.

Have you ever wished for an endless night?

Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight?

Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself will it ever get better than tonight?

Tonight


	13. Frankie's Secret

**AN: Attention all readers of this story, this chapter reveals Frankie's dark past. I'm warning you ahead of time. Also, if you wanted to know about the song from the last chapter, it's "Glitter in the Air" by Pink.**

FRANKIE'S POV

I unlock the bathroom door and let Rikki and Sacajawea, and relock it as soon as they're in.

"What happened?" Rikki demands.

"Ahk kissed me," I slump to the floor next to Saca.

Rikki sighs, "Oh, for chrissakes, Frankie. The way you acted someone would think he held a gun up to your head. He kissed you," she scoffs.

I stare at the floor, "Well he did…" I look at the floor because I know where this conversation will go.

"Why did you strike him," Saca asks, sitting next to me.

"I'm just miffed that every single romantic first in my life has been without my consent," I snap.

"What do you mean?" Saca asks.

I sigh and look at the ceiling, "Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a little girl who ran away from home. She lived on the streets, and managed to do alright until she was arrested for larceny, and was faced with two choices. Either work for the International Bureau for Supernatural Investigation and Defensed, or go to prison… she chose the first, and was shipped to Magwitch Prison for the Magically Able, where she fell in with a crowd that she oughtn't to have. Her one only friend was an older gent who was a pyro, a man who can create or control fire. While she knew that he was not approved of by some, she didn't know the extent of his soul's corruption."

My throat tightens up, but I go on, "One night the girl was watching up on the west wall of the prison alone and her friend came up to her and said that he was there to keep her company. He gave her drinks, liquor n' stuff n' he said it were to keep her warm, since it were a bit chilly. He drank more'n her n' had been drinkin' b'fore he'd come up on to the wall. He… he did things to the lilttle girl, that he oughtn't to have done," tears pour from my eyes, "He touched her even though she said no."  
Saca sits there wide eyed, unable to speak, unsure as to why I'm telling her this.

She lets me sit and cry for a minute, until it's out of me, and I can breathe normally again, then I'm just sorta angry,"That was three years ago. I have been felt up, groped and raped. I always thought that my first kiss would be something that I could save for someone I loved."

"You aren't in love with Ahkmenrah?" Sacajawea says confused.

"No…"

"Oh… well, if I may ask, why not?"

My face feels hot, "What d'ya mean?"

"What I mean is, maybe he thought that you liked him, you two do spend a lot of time together."  
"That's right," Rikki says, purely pleased that Saca is agreeing with the point she has been making for a few weeks now.

I shrug.

"I mean, you could have done worse. I don't know if you have noticed, but Ahkmenrah isn't bad looking."  
"Yeah, I noticed when his face was pressed up on mine," I snap at her, "But incase you don' remember, I ain't quite comfortable around guys. That's why I like girls, 'member?"


	14. What are We S'posed to Do Now?

**Hey you guys. Miss me? I've been uber busy, but here's the next chapter. Don't worry, it's really not as depressing. Review please.**

AHK'S POV

"Did she just say-?" Jed started.

"I think she did," Larry whispered, patting me on the arm, "Good job, you're in love with a traumatized lesbian."

"SHHH!" Teddy hissed, leaning back to listen at the door, where he, Larry, Jed, Octavius, Attila and I listen.

"So," Sacajawea began, "You're a l-"

"Lesbian? No. I'm bi. I like boys and girls, but I really have a tough time around guys… so viola, bisexualism."  
"Dude!" Jed whispered, excitedly, "You are so in there!"

"Yeah, especially while she is comparing me to a rapist. I am so hitting that!" I hiss sarcastically.

"Will you hush?" Octavius demanded.

"What's wrong with Ahkmenrah?" Rikki demanded.

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with him, did I?" Frankie asked.

"If there is nothing wrong with him, then there is no reason that you are opposed to him liking you."

"I didn't say I were opposed-"  
"Aha! So you like him."  
"I didn't say that! I just don't hate 'im."  
"You do not like him?" Sacajawea asked.

Whatever Frankie said was so quiet we couldn't hear it, though we all strained. Whatever it was, Rikki gave another excited yell, "I knew it!"  
"Hush up, 'r someone's like to hear you!" Frankie shouted.

"You should tell him-" Sacajawea started to say.

"Like hell I will!"

"At least you owe him an apology."  
"I OWE HIM? He's the one who…"

I didn't hear the rest, because I left. I went back to my tomb to reflect on my mistakes thus far.

FRANKIE'S POV

For whatever reason, I followed Sacajawea's advice, and went to apologize. Alright, I sorta knew why I was apologizing. Because he' a sweetheart, and some part of me did feel bad for hitting him.

Ahk sits on his sarcophagus, crown in hand, back to me. I never had been in his tomb before, but I crossed the threshold now. I walk slowly and rather quietly, I admit, though I had expected him to hear me.

He didn't.

His Anubis Guards on the other hand did.

"Eakk!" I scream.

Two giant Anubis Guards, have me stuck in place, with one huge spear on either side of me, with maybe two inches space between the spears and me. I freeze in place, too afraid to move.

Ahkmenrah's voice echos off the walls of the room. He says something in ancient Egyptian, though I don't know what it means, and I gotta say I didn't really care as long as it got the guards to back off, which it did. He sounded really pretty balled.

The jackals backed off and went back to their little pedestals.

"I am sorry," Ahk says, his crown firmly back in place, "I told them that I wanted to be alone. I hope this evening has not given you a negative impression of the Egyptians."

I walk right up to him, and hug him, "Never."  
He not only hesitates, but pushes me away, "I didn't mean to anger you."

"It's not your fault, I'm sorry I struck you," I reached out and touched the side of his jaw, where it's slightly swollen, "Does it hurt?"

He pulls back, confusion in his eyes, "I shouldn't have assumed that you felt for me."  
"I-"

"I won't do it again, I promise."

"Oh…" I look down.

"Is that not what you want?"  
"I dunno…"  
"You don't know?"  
"Not really."

He stands there for a moment, "How do you feel about me?"  
"I dunno… I mean, I like you… You just really startled me when you did that. "

"I haven't felt this way in a long time. I had forgotten how blinded one can get by emotions. I assumed that you felt the same."

"I do feel something for you, I really do, but I haven't got the best history with men."  
"Your past is behind you. You shouldn't live it."

"Are you only saying this because you want to see me romantically?"  
He chuckles, "It was simple advise."

"Sooo… I like you n' you like me…. Where exactly do that leave us?"  
"I don't really know. I was hoping you would. If you aren't doing anything tomorrow, would you mind seeing me?"  
"Maybe," I smile, though I'm not sure why.

He grins, "Great," he takes my hand and holds it to his lips for a moment, "I shall see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you," I walk out. When I glance back, I see him watching me go.


	15. You've Never Seen This View

**AN: I guess i oughta warn you guys that this story will probably get really fluffy. Like so fluffy you might want to puke. Bu what do you expect, its a romance fanfic. **

AHK'S POV

I was so filled with joy when Frankie left that as soon as I was sure she was out of hearing, I let out a whoop of joy.

Moments later, Larry entered, an amused smile on his face, "Well, you look happy."

"I have a date tomorrow."

"So everything's patched up with you and Frankie?"

"It is indeed, atleast it is to my knowledge," I climb into my sarcophagus and lay down.

"Good night."  
"Night," was the last thing I said before I ceased to exist to this world.

0x0x0x0x0

It's dark around me when I wake up. The lid of my sarcophagus yields under my hands, and I sigh with relief as I do every night that Larry removes the slab before I awake and I can get out.

Frankie leans in the doorway of the inner chamber where my sarcophagus is displayed, "It was about time you were up, sleepy head," she teases, grinning.

I climb out of the sarcophagus, stretching out my limbs that crack and pop back into place, "How are you?" I ask.

"Alright," she says, "You stiff?"  
"Yeah, being dead does that to you."

She chuckles and holds out a white paper starbucks cup, "I got you some coffee if ya want it. Two sugars right?"

"You didn't have to…"  
"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. But I did." She smiles, "Thought it might help you put up with me for a few hours,"

I sip the coffee, "You do remember that I enjoy spending time with you, correct?"  
"Yeah, you're remindin' me while you're drinking the coffee," her smile goes a little crooked and it makes my breath catch in my throat.

"Waddya wanna do?" she asks tucking a curly lock of hair behind her pointed ear. Her eyes study me in that intent way that she does.

"Why do you look at me like that?" my face feels warm.

Her smile widens but a blush creaps over her cheeks, "I've never seen ya without yer crown on."

I smile at her, "Would you let me show you the city?" I ask, fetching my crown from the display case.

"I've seen it."  
"I doubt you've seen this view," I place the crown on my head.

I lead her down the corridor and up to the top floor to a door marked, "Authorized Personel Only." I open the door and lead her through the room filled with fuse boxes and electrical supplies up a narrow metal staircase to another door which opens up onto the roof. I guide her to the front of the building. A look of the beautiful wonder comes over her face, "it's beautiful."

I smile my agreement, and sit on an Air Condition Box.

After a few minutes she sits down next to me.

"I come up here a lot," I admit, "It's a quite place to think."

She looks at me, "Yet you bring me here."  
"Because I like you, and I trust you."

Her brow furrows minutely, "Why?"  
"You are a good person."  
"You hardly know me if you think that." She looks down at the floor.  
I study her, from the black studded cuff on her left wrist up to her eyes, blue grey now, made lighter by the dark make up around her eyes.

"Then help me to know you. What makes you other than a good person?"  
She looks at me levely, "I am a thief."  
"I know."  
"How?"  
My brain stops, I wasn't supposed to know that, "what I meant was that I don't care what you've done in the past."

"How did you know?"  
"You said something about it while you were drunk?" sounds believable, right?

"Oh," she looks back down, "What else did I say?"  
"Something about liking women," I know I shouldn't press my luck, but I really need to ask about this.

"I like both women and men. Is that a problem?" she asks calmly.

"Not at all. It's just that I've never heard of anyone with that preference, or lack of one."  
"I prefer men."  
"So the odds are in my favor?"  
Frankie laughs, a beautiful perfect lyrical sound, "Yer alright, Ahkmenrah."

"Thank you."

We sit and talk all through the night. She lets me hold her hand and something squeezes tight in my chest. She smiles and I want to hold her close but I don't know if it is allowed or if she would shove me away again, and ruin any chance I might have of earning her love.

She tells me a little about her family. She tells me that she's the middle child of five. Her older brother, Jay and sister, Annemarie were both born before her parents met, then there was her younger brothers, Dylan and Johnny.

She asks me about my family and I admit that I have considerably more siblings than that.

At the end of the night she walks me down to my tomb.

"Do ya need help with the lid?" she asks of the sarcophagus as I put my crown away.

"Larry will do that," I place the crown in the display case next to my death mask.

"Ok," she smiles.

I step closer to her to say good night, but different words tumble out of my mouth, "May I kiss you goodnight."

"If you really wanna," she looks away, almost teasingly, shifting from one foot to the other.

I take her face in my hands to make her look at me, "I do." Her eyes meet mine, and they're like shining sapphires. She tilts her face back a little for me.

I lean down to kiss her. It's better this time because she kisses me back. She's so sweet and passionate, but still somewhat innocent and naïve somehow. When I pull back she looks back at me, smile in place, "You're really not a bad kisser, ya know," she backs, still smiling, "See you tomorrow," she walks away from me.

**Review please.**


	16. Silly Pollution

**AN: FLUFF ALERT. **

FRANKIE'S POV

For about a week or so, we go up to the roof for a few hours or sit in his exhibit and just talk, just getting to know each other.

He's such really such a sweetheart. He's kinda one of those guys that you meet in a bar, and you let him buy you a drink, but you don't go home with him because he's a "safe guy".

I never understood why women don't like safe guys, but whatever.

So halfway through the second week we're up on the roof and Ahkmenrah mentions that he wished the stars were visible.

I focus on a patch of overly polluted sky and clear some of the smog away. It takes a minute but it works.

"You have a gift," Ahk says, "You have magic."

"Yeah…"

We sit and look at the stars. Ahk leans back, his hands supporting him. I feel bold from the magic and I scoot closer to him.

I bite my lip.

Will he think me rash?

But he put his around me. I don't want to breathe or think or anything, because some part of me is sure that I've cast a spell and I don't wanna break it.

He looks at me and I look at him and I forget the spell that I cast on the sky and it wears off, not that either of us notices it.

His closeness is startling, but I don't move away. His arm around me is warm. His heat, his scent enveloped me. He even smells warm, I don't know how, or if that even makes sense, but it did at that moment.

He's even closer now. His breath touches on my lips, and my heart starts beating itself against my ribs, like it's trying to get out of my chest.

He just holds there like he's giving me the chance to pull stop him or to pull away. I pull him the rest of the way to me, and I kiss him. After a moment of blissful contact, he pulls back and looks at me, and rests his forehead against mine, then rubs his nose against mine for a moment.

"Why d'ya do that?" I asked out of sheer curiosity.

"It was the way that people in my time showed affection."

"is that why yo did that the first time you kissed me?"  
"Yes," he smiles, and bites down on his lip harder than he usually does, like he's embarrassed.

I smile and tilt his face up to look at me. I touch my nose to his. It really isn't so weird… it's just like nuzzling, really.

**Review.**


	17. I Love You

AHK'S POV

"I'll tell you a secret," Frankie said one night in my exhibit, "My folks didn't name me Frankie."  
"No? What did they name you?" I ask.

She tugs me down, and whispers in my ear, so that the breath that comes with the word tickles at my ear, "Karmina," she moved away and went one, "But everyone always called me Kara. I guess Karmina seemed like too long a name fer one so small 's I."

I look at her, "It's a beautiful name. Why did you change it?"  
"Because I ran away from home, and I didn't wanna go back. If I got pinched, like I knew I might, I didn't wanna get sent back to my parents."

"Why did you leave home? I thought you loved your father," I knew a little of the story, but I wanted her to tell me.

"I do… it's just, when I was thirteen my mother wanted to marry me of to a guy I didn't know, so I left."  
"But your parents arranged you a marriage. Surely they had only your best interests at heart."  
"Naw, my mother, Diane, was matchin' me with a guy who'd raise our social station in the magic community."

"But it was your parents wishes that you marry the man. How could you disobey them? They are your parents," my facial expression feels hard, confused or angry, I'm not sure which.

"Do I honestly strike you as the sort who would blindly follow orders that I didn't agree with?" she asks with her adorable smile on her face.

My face softens, "I suppose not."

She reaches up to touch my face, "And think on it this way. If I'd not gone off on a lam, I wouldn't be here now. Would I?"

"Then I am glad of your disobediance," I lean down and kiss her, then look at her laying down on the bench in the exhibit. I'm sitting next to her. She takes my hand in hers and holds it to her lips, then pressed the palm of my hand to her cheeks, and odd look on her face.

"What is the matter?" I ask.  
"I'm really not a good person, Ahk."  
"You have told me this before."  
"I am bad, and cruel and wicked, Ahk. You shouldn't care for me."  
"But I do. Nothing is going to change that. No act you can commit, be it theft or assault will turn my heart from you."

"No act?"  
"None I can think of."  
"What if I killed."  
"I assume there would be a reason."

"What if you caught me with another man?"  
"I would understand."

"Why?"  
"I would understand if you wanted to be with someone who could give you the whole life you deserve, rather than the half of one I give you."  
A wicked smile comes over her face, "What if you caught me with another woman?"

I laugh, "I don't know how I would take that."  
"You might like it."

I must have looked surprised or disgusted, because she laughs and wraps her arms around my neck and kisses my cheek.

"Ra draws near," I whispered, reluctantly. I don't want to leave her.

She nodded sadly and got up, kissed me one last time before releasing me to put my pshsent (crown) away.

Frankie watched me, the faintest smile tugging on her lips. She follows me to where I lay during the day. I kissed her cheek before sending her off.

When Frankie is almost to the door I called to her, "Frankie?" I wait for her to turn before I go on, "I love you." I uttered the words I had withheld from her.

Her face goes through a series of sudden changes. First surprise, then confusion, then a form of fear. The last face is quickly covered by a false smile, "Ok, I'll see ya later. Bye." Then she leaves quickly.

Her words stunned me into a painful silence. The pain is all I feel until the sun brings me release from the ache.


	18. Broken Arms and Heart

**AN: Hey guys,i know its been a few chapters since i've begged for reviews. Boxie, you rule, and your support is much appreciated. But are you the only person who likes my writing? If anyone else does, they could, of, i dont know... review? Please?**

RIKKI'S POV

Frankie is quiet the whole day. She doesn't speak even when she is spoken to. She sits and she thinks. Though she wont tell anyone what she thinks about.

FRANKIE'S POV

He told me he loves me. For chrissakes, what else could I've said? Before I ran, I saw the look on his face. The most pain, I've ever seen on anyone's face, ever, was there on his. That night I don't wanna see him, because he's angry with me. I know he is. He must be.

The pharaoh had bared his heart to me, his soul. He had told me that he had possessed within him, the most tender of feelings for me, and he had said it so sweetly and so honestly.

But I had run from him. I had no reciprocated, nor denied a mutual affection. No, I ran like a coward, as if his love frightened me. Did it?

Did it care me that a man could care about me? It did on some level, I think or atleast it startled me.

I knew I was wrong for leaving him like that, but what else could I really do? I hadn't really had many men, or anyone really other than some obligated family members, that they loved me, and done so with honesty.

The night comes and I go tot the museum. I don't want to go to him, but I owe him, as before, an explanation, if not an apology. I owe him the same class of honesty he ahs offered me.

I stand infront of his sarcophagus. And waited for him to wake up.

Larry had not yet come in when the sun set, so Ahk woke up trapped inside. He wailed and beat on the lid, begging to be let out. I run forward, and tell him that I'll let him loose, and for him to calm down.

I shove the coverstone, with weighs a ton. The stone falls to the ground and the lid flies up and hits me arm, with a sickening cracking sound, and a sharp pain. I fall back, sitting against the wall, cradling my arm.

Ahk kneels in front of me, "I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

"It's alright," I assure him.

"But, your arm-"

"Wait a moment," I instruct him, looking at my arm, which cracks sofly, resetting itself, and the discoloration fades away, "magic," I say softly.

His eyes widen, "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was only trying to get out. I swear I would never-"

I press a finger to his lips, "Hush, I'm alright."

He smiles and kisses my finger. His lips hold a smile, while his eyes hold a fresh pain, "I'm glad."

"Ahkmenrah, last night-"

"I know, I shouldn't have said it. It was foolish."  
"Not if it's true."

He looks confused, "You don't… do you like me?"

"I do."  
"You don't have to lie to me."  
"I ain't lyin', you just caught me off guard with that. I mean, you're the first man what ever toold me he loved me."

"Ever?"  
"Well, 'cept fer my Pops, and other family members."

"You have never had a lover?"  
"I ain't a virgin, if that's what yer askin'."

His face turns a little red, and he looks away, "What I mean is, you have ever been in love?"

I shrug, "If anyone's ever felt that way for me, they ain't said so."

"Do you love me?"  
Oh, lord, the question I don't wanna answer, but I gotta.

"I…. I dunno. I mean, I've only known you a few weeks. I cant really be sure what I feel. If it's real love just an infatuation, I couldn't tell you. I don' wanna say I love you, unless im sure I do. It just wouldn't be fair to you."

"What must I do to make you love me?"  
"Um, Ahk, you can't MAKE me love you. If I love you, I love you. I can't just be won."

"Do you still wish to spend time with me?"

"I didn' say I hated you, I just said I wasn't a hundred percent sure that I love you. I'm just sorta confused right now."

"It's simple, either you love me or you do not."  
"I ain't denyin' that it't one or the other, I just ain't sure which one it is. How d'you even know? You've only known me four weeks."

"I know," he takes a hold of my shoulders, "I know I'd run infront of a car to keep you safe, or make you happy. I would step off the roof of this building if you asked me to."

"How can you feel that sorta dedication to me?" I ask, a tad weirded out by his words.

His head tilts to the side, a little, "I love you," he brushes hair out of my eyes, "More than I have ever loved anyone."

I stand up, "You may now, but how do you know that in a year, you still will?" I go and sit on a bench in the outer chamber.

He follows and knees before me, and takes my hands in his, "I know what I feel and I know that it is the purest of loves-"

"You barely know me!"

"I know myself and I know my feelings."

"You're a man, and the feelings of men change."

"Mine will not. I vow to you that my intentions are honest."  
"How c'n you be sure?" I ask in a whisper.

He is quiet for a moment, then says, "In my own time, I was a king, a god to some. Now, I am your servant."  
I groan, without thought, "Ahk, I don' want you to be a servant, 'specially to me. You are my equal, if not my better!"

"I am not better-"  
"Listen to me please! I don' wanna hurt you. I've given you ample warnin'. I ain't a good person!"  
"You say that, but I love you anyway. No one is perfect, not even I am, and my whole life I was told that I could do no wrong, as the descendants of gods," he held my face in his hands, "I told you last night that no matter what you do, I will still love you. I have tried to make you understand this, many different times. Now tell me how I can earn your love."

I sigh inwardly, "Give e three days to consider what I feel, alright?"

"Alright."  
"I think it'd be best if we didn' see each other for the next three nights."

"Very well, if that is your wish, I shall await your decision," he raises, and bows, "I hope to see you soon, my love," he smiles nervously, "May I kiss you goodbye?"

"Goodbye?"  
"In case you decide…" he looks down.

'Awww….' I think.

I go to him, wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, but I regret it the moment his lips touch mine. He sends chills down my spine and up my arms. I don't want to pull away. Screw what he said, he is perfect.

When we separate, he sighs painfully, "I should not have asked for that. It makes it harder to let you go."

"Yeah," I look away, "I'll see y'round, alright?" I start out.

"If you say I will."


	19. Ahk's Girl Problems

**AN: Please Review, folks. Twenty five people read the last chapter, and only one person exerted the serious effort of clicking the little button at the bottom of the chapter and typing in a few words. Is this work really so unworthy of any such effort that you won't even bother giving me feed back? And yet you come back and you keep reading, anyway. If you're willing to read this stuff than with all due respect, you oughta be willing to give some sorta review.**

AHK'S POV And just like that she walked out the door. Without so much as a single look back at me. Not a blink of theye or anything. I sit down and think. Because what else is ther to do when the woman you love tells you to let her think.

I don't leave my exhibit, because there isn't anything that makes me want to leave.

I can't help but think that I shouldn't have told her of my feelings until I was assured that she shared them. It doesn't matter what she said, I wanted to stop her from leaving. I wanted to hold her to me, and further profess the depths of my emotions. But the words I had already said seemed to push her away, rather than pull her closer.

"Hey, you alright, man?" Lary asked, a concerned look on his face.

I hadn't even heard him come in, "Yes."

"Have you been sitting here all night?" he asked.

"Is the sun rising?"  
"Almost."  
"Then yes," I push myself up off the floor.

"Problems with Frankie?"

"I told her i loved her that I loved her and she-"

"Ahk, budddy, you have to get in your sarcophagus thingie..."

0x0x0x0x0x0x0

Larry let me out at sunset.

"So I told Frankie that i loved her, and that I would do anything for her and she-"

"Uh, I'll be back in a few, I have to get hte other exhibits set up, then we can talk all about your... girl problems..."

"i shall wait," Is it on the bench, and wait, falling back into my thoughts.

**You know what to do.**


	20. He Ain't a Creeper!

**AN: Sorry the last chapter was short. I was sorta down about the lack of reviews. Boxie, and Lifexbeyondxthexmountains, you guys rule, seriously.**

"I don't get you, girl," Jed stated, "you spend every waking moment with the guy then complain about him liking you too much."  
"I don' spend every wakin' moment with him!"

"Well, every one of his waking moments-"

"An' I ain't complainin' 'bout him likin' me! All I'm doin' is askin' how d'ya know when y'really like someone like that?"

"I don't know. I guess you just know. Why would you even like the guy?"  
"Becoz he's sweet 'n kind, 'n I ain't never known so good a guy as good as him."

"Present company included?"

"Aw, Jed, don' be like that. Yer a good guy but in a diff'rent sorta way, y'know?"  
"How in tarnation are there different types of good?" Jed said, partially storming, "Anyway, if what you've told me is true, Ahkmenrah is one of those creepers you hear 'bout in the news."

"H'ain't a creeper!"  
"Oh, come on! If he isn't a creeper, I moonlight as a ballerina. He ain't known you more'n a month n already is ready to pledge his life to your safe keeping."  
Some part of those words echo in my brain. Ahkmenrah must really love me. The earnest sincerity in his eyes and in his voice ain't exactly something that you can fake. And if he can he's a better liar than I think he is. "He's willin' to die for me."

"And if that isn't something a stalker would say I don't know what is."

"It don' make him a stalker. It makes him the only man I've known what actually cares."  
"Ok, so he cares, what does that matter if you don't like him?"

I pause, deep in thought, "I'll see y'later," I get up and follow my feet on their path. They stop outside of Ahk's tomb, where I can hear the raised voice, of a certain Pharaoh. Not angry, per se, more like he's hurt.

I hurt him.

"Mayhaps she hasn't known you long enough to be sure," Rikki's calm voice said.

"How long should she know me? I have been married to women I've never met!"

"Would you want your relationship with Frankie to be the same?"

He don't say nothing for a minute then says in a soft voice, "No, but it is the way I understand it."  
"Things have changed in the last three thousand years."

"So I am constantly reminded. I am trying to adjust to the ways, but is it my fault that I act in the manner that I was raised?"

"Give Frankie time and space and she will come around," Rikki comes out of the tomb, and passes me on the way out, then gives me a quick shove into the temple. I sorta stumble into the room infront of Ahkmenrah, "Uh... hi."

"Hello," he smiles at me, in the way he does that makes me feel way too warm, "do you require more time, or have you reached your decision?"  
"I know what I feel."  
He nodds, "Would you like to sit," he asks gesturing to the nearby bench.

"Uh, sure," I sit, and he sits next to me.

"So... where do we stand?"  
"You're the sweetest guy I've ever met, and for that I shov'd you away, 'n I'm sorry. It sorta scared me."

"I didn't mean to."  
"I know."  
"So, I've decided that I might, sorta kinda like you alot."

Ahkmenrah paused and looked forward then at me for a moment "What?"

"I'm still not a hundred percent sure, but I think maybe, I might sorta love you a lil' bit."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yeaaaah, kinda," my face feels way too hot as I skirt around actually expressing my emotions.

"Well, in that case I might kinda sorta like you alot, too."

I smile.

"So, what now?"

"I don' really know. What do you wanna do?"  
"Well, the sunrise is rapidly approaching, so I should most likely," he waved towards his sarcophagus.

"Maybe, we can hang out tomorrow?"  
"Sounds good to me. Could we possibly sneak out?"

I said yeah, becoz how could I say no to him? He asks as sweet as ever if he may kiss me. I say ofcourse becoz he's like a child asking for a sweet, not sure if its permited to him, or if he is even deserving or worthy.

Ofcourse he did. 


	21. Missing Mummies and Lost Apprentices

**AN: YAY! I LUV MY REVIEWERS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ADDED ME AND THIS STORY TO THEIR FAVORITES!**

Frankie's POV

I walk Ahk over to the sarcophagus, his face is serious.

"Hey, chipper up some, I just told you I love you, you have what you want. Why so serious?"

"I wonder if I have pressured you into saying this."

"I ain't so easilly swayed."

"No?" His face remains unaltered.

I lean forward and kiss him, "I love you, Ahkmenrah."

He wraps his arms around me and takes deep breaths, like he's trying to make himself calm,"If your feelings ever change, I want you to tell me."

"you know I would anyway."

He strokes my cheek, "I should hope do," he suddenly breaks out in a grin, "you love me?"

"Maybe," I grin back and tap the end of his nose, "silly king."

"I am not silly."

"Yeah, you kinda are," I glance towards the sarcophagus, following his gaze.

"I don't want you to see me during the day," he says.

"I'm now intriqued."

"Promsie me you'll never open that case during the day."

"Why? Will your Ba attack me with tallons of fury?"

"And you call me silly," he starts into his case.

"Are Bas and Kas real?" I ask seriously.

For a moment he hesitates, "We can discuss it tonight," he says.

"Over coffee?"

"Ofcourse," he leans out and kisses me goodnight, before pulling his case shut, and the tablet began to glow, and he was gone.

0x0x0x0x0

I show up the next night with a pair of jeans n a blue tshirt i'd lifted from an undisclosed location. I deposit them in his lap, "sorry, if these don't fit quite right. I had to guess your size, and I couldn't get you shoes. Can you use yer sandals?"

"Yes ofcourse."

"shoe stores freak me out," I shudder a little.

"why?"

"I loathe shoes."

Ahk chuckled, "Is that why you never wear them?"

"That 'n they intensify my ninja sneakin' skills!"

"You are adorable," he went to change, and imerged minutes later, looking absolutely normal, in a really cute way. I have to sneak him out, which is a little bit easier than you might think it to be.

We get our drinks n walk through the park, sipping our drinks until we come to this amusement park inside the park, called -ictorian Garden Amusement park. It's closed, but we let ourselves in any way, since there ain't no one about n it ain't like we're defacing the joint or nothing like that. We sit on one of the rides, a sorta tilt a whirl type thing, though I think it initially confused Ahk.

"So tell me about your Ba and your Ka?" I ask.

He sighs,"well, how much do you know?"

"That they're the parts of the soul. The Ba is a bird with your head, and the Ka is like your identical twin, like a conscious mind, or somethin'."

He smiles like a tutor would smile at a pupil, "That's the basic idea. The Ba rules over me during the day, while Ka animates me at night. The Ba guards the body, or at least that was the primary objective as I was taught. When I am dead, my Ba stays in the room. Because of it, I can be aware of what happens, though I generally do not understand it until night. Ba is my memories and dreams. At night, the tablet draws my Ka into my body, and allows me to live."

N!o when yer stationary, ya can still hear?"

"It's complicated. Ba is a constant presence, you understand, while Ka is expelled from my body when the tablet's magic wears off."

"That's sorta confusin'," I admit.

"It is one of those things that makes sense if you understand it, and in thought is fine. But actually explaining it is difficult."

"So if I were to speak to you would you hear me?"

"In a manner of speaking. But I wouldn't really comprehend your words until sunset. They would just sorta flood me all at once."

"So, yer technically, completely alive?"

"Yes."

"Completely functional?"

"My heart beats, see?" He presses my hand over his heart, "I can eat, and drink, and preform any natural human bodilly function."

I blush, though I ain't sure why The gentle beating of his heart thumps against my hand. It takes a moment to realize that he ain't holding my hand there no more, and I drop it to my lap,"sorry."

"Whatever for?" Ahk asks, slipping his arm around my shoulder,"I love you, Frankie," he says it like a reminder. Like I could have somehow forgot in the last sixteen hours or so.

I rest my head on his shoulder,"You're a good egg, Ahkmenrah," I sigh.

He laughs like it the oddest compliment he's ever in his whole life heard, but he accepts it.

For a moment the two of us sit there, in the dark abandoned amusement park.

His arm around me.

My head on his shoulder.

For a few minutes, we are like any normal couple, alone, enjoying a romantic date night together in the park. Ignoring, I mean, the fact that we broke into the park of the park we're in. But, we were just like anyone else. Not a part elf runaway, and a mummy king, but just two young people who cared about each other.

"We should start back," Ahk hinted.

"No", I sorta whine a little, "it's only ten. Its like to be another hour before they flip over the missin' mummy."

"True, but what about the lost apprentice?"

I cuddle against him , and wrap my arms around his neck,"her guardian knows she c'n take care of herself."

"Well, when you put it that way..." he smiles, and leans down to kiss me.

There was something sweetly exhilerating about this kiss. I don't know if it was just that we had both come out and said that we loved each other, or if it was that the chances of, oh, say Teddy Roosevelt walking in on us was way down. This, unfortunatley didn't mean that no one could.

"Hands where I can see them, son,"said an overly authoritative voice, accompanied by a policeman's flashlight.

"crap," I muttered. 


	22. Rami Ahkmen from Hartford, England

**AN: Ok, my reviewers, Boxie, MamaLita, and ShiningGalaxy, rock seriously very hard. Like if all the rock bands had a concert, and they all played at once, so that the awsumness in the area caused an explosion, they would survive, because they are just that awsum. Now, don't you wish you were as awsum as them? You know you do.**

"Hands where I can see them," the authoritative voice commanded, "stand up and get out of that thing."

I get out, and Ahk follows, warilly.

the officer holds a flashlight up by his face, shining the light in our eyes, "Well well well, what have we got here?" The light focuses on me for a minute, "you a prostitute or something?"

"No," I reply as calmly as I can.

"No?"

"No, sir."

"Well... in that case, its just breaking and entering, and lewd public conduct."

"Aw, seriously?"

"officer, we are sorry, and we won't do it again," Ahkmenrah said calmly.

The beam shines on him for a minute, then flicks to me, then back, "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

The beam moves to me, "And how old are you, sweetheart?"

"Seventeen," I say, ignoring the creepy title bestowed.

"You saying that so your boyfriend won't go down for statitory?"

My eyes go wide, "Excuse me? I am of age of consent, and we weren't doin anythin lewd!"

RIKKI'S POV

The phone rang, and for whatever reason, Larry wasn't able to answer it, so Attila did. One of his buddies came up and told me that I had a phone call, but I dont really understand Hun, so it took a few minutes. When I got to the phone, Frankie's voice came over the line, "Hey, mom... it's me Angela."

"Where are you?" I demand, understanding that she was using an alias, so as to aviod her record being pulled "Is Ahk with you?"  
"Yeah, Rami's with me... um, we kinda need you to come and get us. We kinda got in a little trouble."  
"Rami?" I ask, wondering what the hell she's talking about.

"Rami Ahkmen," she said intensly, "My boyfriend."  
"So, you need me to get you. Where are you, exactly?"  
"Um, holding?"

I pause, "Holding?"  
"Yes."  
"Like, prison holding?"  
"Kinda... um, I need you to come 'n get us. Since my record's clean, they're lettin' us off with a warnin', and we just need an adult to pick us up."

"Are you using an alias last name?"  
"No. Still Marlow... I gotta go, mom."  
I hung up, without saying good bye.

"Where are they?" Larry asked.

"Holding. I have to go get them out. I'll be back in an hour."

FRANKIE'S POV

The scolding Ahk and I got was completely worth getting outta holding. I think the experience shook Ahk, but he put up a good front over any fear he might've felt.

To me it was't such a big deal. I'd spent my own share of nights in prison. I knew what it was like, and I'd lived in worse places than that. We get to the museum and Rikki tells Ahk to go upstairs and change. I started to follow him, but Rikki stopped me, "You and I need to talk!" she drags me into the security office, and closed the door behind her, "What the hell were you thinking? No, don't bither answering, because I know what you were thinking. You weren't thinking! You never think! What if I hadn't gotten your call?"

"We still had Ahk's call, we could've tried again."  
"And if that didn't work? He would have been stuck outside of the museum when the sunrose! He would have died because of you! What were you thinking was going to happen when you break and enter? Did you think there wouldn't be any consequences?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I admit.

"If he'd been stuck in that holding cell-"

"Well, he wasn't, and that's what's important, right? That we're alright? 'N if we'd been stuck in the jam, i'd've bust'd him outta that joint, anyhow!"

"Oh, yes, ofcourse," she said sarcastically, "I know it doesn't matter to you, since you have no real morals of any sort. But did it occur to you that Ahkmenrah now has an arrest record!"  
"No. Rami Ahkmen has one," I feel myself smiling.

"How on earth..."

"He told them his name was Ahkmenrah, and they misheard it 'n assumed he'd said Ahkmen, Rami. I used a touch o' magic to get him a birth record, and a passport that stated that he was born in Hartford, England nineteen years ago. He got top marks his whole life, and graduated third in his class at Cambridge." She looks at me like she don't quite believe me, "their OS is some crap, they chalked the long load up to it. I'll hack the system later 'n clear his arrest record."

I walked out, done with the scolding, though I don't think Rikki was far from finished.

I went up to Ahk's room. He held my messenger bag out to me, "I put the clothes inside."

My arms wrap around his neck and I kiss him, then lean my forehead against his chest.

"Are you alright?" Ahk asks.

"I'm sorry i got you pinched."  
"It really wasn't that bad."  
"Really?"  
"No, it was," he shuddered.

I had to laugh.

Ahk looked down into my eyes, "Hey, don't worry about it. We'll laugh about it tomorrow. It was pretty silly."

"You really coulda got in trouble."  
"How?"  
"You was gonna whack that one cop. The one what slapped me in cuffs."

He smiled and pushed the hair out of my eyes, "I told you I'd do anything to keep you safe."

She taps the end of my nose, and smiled, "You silly king."


	23. A Couple of Contradictions

AN: Well, our review club has a new member! We'd like to welcome princess poptart (awsum name). Ok, I'm putting a fluff and a mild smut alert (very mild smut) on this chapter. Its really sorta just Ahk and Frankie's thoughts and observations on eachother. Please review.

AHK'S POV

"You know, I think you're a good influence on Frankie," Rikki said once.

"How so?" I ask.

"She has not caused her usual amount of trouble since you started seeing eachother."

"Are you sure? Or maybe you just don't know what she's been up to," I smile.

she frowns, "Do you know of anything?"

"No," I said, the smile falling off my face.

She narrowed her eyes, looking for any hint of a lie, "If she has been behaving, then you may be a good influenspce on her. Just accept the compliment."

"Alright," I drop my gaze. I really don't want Frankie to be capable of anything wrong. I want her to be the good girl that I believe she must be. I love her so much that I hate the idea of her being a criminal.

Right as I thought this, she was pulling couches out of the security office with Larry's "help" because he was going to show a movie that night.

She grined at me and gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

How could she be a criminal mastermind?

FRANKIE'S POV

It really was the strangest thing. I couldn't think straight around him, and when we weren't together, I couldn't think of anything but him.

I wanted to wrap my arms around him, and never let go. But I was alittle afraid to let him too close.

He himself was a bundle of contradictions. He was good and sweet, yet at the same time, he sometimes carried himself as of he was a danger. There would be something in his eyes sometimes that was dark and mysterious to me, yet, oh so wize. It was like he could show me the answer to every riddle my mind or heart had ever posed to me.

The contradiction betweeb the sweetness and the dark mystery was a thing that fascinated me. He'd cuddle me, and kiss me, but if he ever started going past that he'd leap back like something had burned him. He'd appologize, his face all flushed.

I'd kiss his cheek, and tell him it was alright, but he wouldn't look at me, or touch me or nothing. If I were to hug him, he'd pat my back and that would be the end of that.

I was a contradiction myself, I guess. Coz, while I wanted him to cozy up to me, some part of me wanted him to keep his paws to himself.

It really was the oddest thing.

AHK'S POV

We had been seeing eachother for a few weeks when I almost went to far.

We were in my tomb, talking about our lives. Frankie held my crown in her lap, toying with the asp crest.

She was simply too cute, the way her lips turned up at the corners. There was this curly lock tucked behind her slightly pointed ear. I lean over and kiss her cheek. She looked at me with this surprised smile. I kissed the smile. Frankie wrapped her arms around my neck, then pulled back, when she realized that she still had my crown in her lap. She stowed it under the bench, then gave me this mischeivious smile, and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. She pulled to me. I eased her back slowly, and she didnt object. She only tightens her hold.

I wasn't really thinking. I was just reacting. My reaction was my hands went over her chest. But once I realized what I was doing, I stopped right away, and got off of her, "I'm sorry."

"Its alright," she touched my arm, "You ain't done nothin' what deserves appology."

I stood, "It is almost sun-up, you should go. Larry can help me with the lid."

"Its all good," she smiled, "I can do it."

"Frankie, go please."

A solidly painful look came over her face, turning her eyes grey,"Did I do somethin' wrong?"

I took her by her shoulders and kissed her forehead, "No, of course not."

"Then let me stay with you," she wrapped her arms around my hips and rested her face against my chest,"I do want nothin' more'n to stay with ya."

I pat her head,"it is as if you have a power over em. I need some time to think, alright?" I held her by her shoulders, forcing her arms from around my waist.

"I'll leave ya to it then," she smiles and walks away.

I knelt by the bench to collect my crown, and I put it away, before returning to the bench, and leting my head rest against the wall.'oh, what is a fool to do?' I sigh, and ponder why on earth I would touch her. Why would I do so foolish a thing?

And yet, she did not seem so angry at me. But she does cover her anger well... except when she drinks... or is in an extreme state of duress.

Oh, why do I love her? 


	24. When even the general leaves

**AN: Please Review, folks. I can't stress how important reviews are to me. I mean, to all the writers out there, don't you remember what its like to be sitting there eagerly staring at your mailbox, waiting for someone to care enough to review? And what if I've reviewed for you? What if I was the first to drop a review in for your story? Remember how awsum it felt when there were reviews? I get on adverage two reviews, n they're from the same to people. If I read anything, I review. And you don't have to be registered to review. I really don't wanna beg, but I need to know that you guys care enough to click the button at the bottom of the page and type a few words. And furthermore, as the ever wize Boxie has said to me, we write to make people happy. If I don't get feedback, I don't know if I'm making anyone happy in the least. That being said, review!**

FRANKIE'S POV

He's really such a sweet guy that I really don't mind that sometimes his eyes and hands would wander over me. It was really kinda flattering if anything, and he really hadn't done anything he oughtn't to have done.

Yet he'd always shake his head like there was something he ought to be ashamed of.

I do realize of course that it may seem as though I were neglecting everyone but Ahkmenrah, and I guess I were, but most forgave, and knew why I weren't about them so much as I oughta.

I did spend time with Jed and Octavius, and found often that Jed didn't have a slight problem keeping his peace over me and Ahk, possibly in most part because when i left them, odds were I'd be goin' to Ahk. It really weren' t my fault, but it got Jed in a lather, and we'd argue bout how I spent my time and with whom.

He were griping about it one night, when I were bout to go see Ahk.

"Yeah, you go right ahead, and abandon yer friends for your lover. Go ahead!"

"Oh, quit bein' sucha baby, Jed." I scoff.

"I aint bein' a baby!"

"Yeah, y'kinda are."

"Well sorry if I get angry bout my friend abandoning me!"

I sigh, "Jed, would you be chill wif it?"

"It aint natural! We saw you first! We go dibs!" About this point in the argument Octavius left, because he didn't want to be involved.

"Awwww, Jeddie, you're jealous."

"I aint jealous!"

"Really coz yer actin' loike you're jealous."

"You spend all your time with that boy, and none with your friends!"

"Jed," I kneel infront of him, "I really like Ahkmenrah. He's the first guy who's taken a fancy to me, what aint a heartless whelp. For the most part I am incapable of attractin' good men. Can't y'understand what I'm oin' through?"

He turns his back to me and trucks away.

I growl to myself and leave the Diorama room. I go down the corridors and peer in Ahk's room. He aint there, so I bow to the Anubises, and continue my search for him. I end up in the lobby, having failed my quest, and plopped down next to Rikki who is studying a thick leather tome. She glances at me momentarilly and says, "I see you've gotten out of the tomb. "

"Don' you start on me too, Ma. I jus' got outta the tounge lashin' from Jed. I don't need it from you too."

"I was only joking," se said calmly, "But it's true enough Have you been reviewing those spells I gave you?"

"Uhhhhh..."

"You need to find a balance between wheat you do with Ahkmenrah, and what you must do with the rest of the world."

"Can't I just ignore the rest of the world?"

"You can try, but in my experience the world doesn't take well to being ignored. And when we have to leave for our next job, you'll feel as if your entire world has shattered." She put the book in my lap, "take a few days off from your lover, and study. It'll do you some good."

"I don' wanna."

"I know, but you still have to get used to the fact that he won't always be there."

As much as I hate to admit it she was right. I looked down at the spells I was required to learn, and read them.

For two hours I read the spells. I walk as I read, because I don't wanna sit still. Granted, I didn't wanna be studying either. I wanted Ahk, but couldn't find him, which meant he was probably on the roof, which meant he didn't want to be bugged.

I rolled on into Ahk's ante chamber and plopped down on the floor and started reading, both out loud and in my mind. It wasn't like there would e any side effects without the drawn charter symbols that accompanied them.

I sit quietly reading until Ahk walks in and stops in his tracks, "What are you doing?"

"Readin'," I smile.

He knelt in front of me, "why here?"

"It's quiet."

His brow goes up as if asking if that's all.

"An' I wanted to see you, n' tell ya I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I thought you might be angry with me."

His brow furrow, "I'm not."

"Well, everyone else is. Jed just chewed me out bout spendin' too much time with you."

He sighs, "You should spend time with your friends."

"I know... but, it's just..."

"Just what?"

"I know I'm bein' selfish, but... I just like spendin' time wif you so much that I don' wanna do naught else but that."

Ahkmenrah takes a deep breath, "we've gotten too used to each other's company. frankie."

"I love you," I whisper, "I just wanna tell you that I know fer sure, 'n I love you."

He looks at me with this soft sweet smile on his face, " I love you too. But I must go to bed, my treasure," I help him into his case, and slid the lid over him as the tablet began to glow.


	25. The Body Swapper

**AN: Yay! We now welcome t. and jemlou to the reviewers club! you know you want to join the awsum club of reviewers. We have jackets! You know you want a jacket. Joining the review club is a very simple process, not like other clubs where you need to register and show up and fill out paperwork, in this case all you need to do is hit the review button at the bottom of this chapter, you know you want to. Not reviewing is just cruel, dude, it makes me all sad. Think of the children.**

**Ok, that done, here's the next chapter!**

RIKKI'S POV

The silly girl.

We are supposed to be here to protect the museum and to be sure that they behave when the museum opens for night hours. That everyone is emotionally and mentally stable for the thing. How does my apprentice spend her time?

She spends every spare minute cuddling up to a Pharaoh.

It's so hard to get the girl to focus now, harder even than it was before. She had been assigned, by me, a few spells for memorization. Do you think she managed to do it?

Well, lets just say that one of the spells that she was to learn and that I was testing her on was to solidify the water in the air What occured instead was I was body swapped with Attila the Hun, so that he was in my body, and I in his.

Since she was the one to cast the spell, she was the only one who could break it. She had to dig through all my spell notes to try to find the counterspell while I had to sit on Attila-in-my-body to keep him from wandering off, or getting to curious about what was under "his" clothes.

Of course Larry entered the situation late and thought Attila was causing trouble.

"Whoa, buddy," Larry yells, "What are you doing? Rikki is our friend! We don't sit on our friends!"

I just stare at him, blankly, because I really don't feel like even starting to justify the situation I am in with any form of comment or explanation.

Apparently he interperated the blank stare as miscomprehension, and he scurried off to find Ahkmenrah and get him to translate. He returns moments later with Ahkmenrah in tow, and asked the Pharaoh to translate the instruction to not sit on me.

"save your breath," I order, "I'm not Attila, I'm Rikki."

Both sets of eyebrows go up.

"I am."

"she is," Frankie offers, looking up from the ledger.

"what happened?" Larry demanded.

"Ask her," I point to Frankie.

"I sorta made a boo-boo..." Frankie smiles innocently as ever.

"Sorta? You made me switch bodies with ATTILA THE HUN!"

"I said I was sorry..." She mumbled.

"Oh, that makes it all better!"

She slumps down and stares at the book.

"If you STUDIED! Like I told you to! Instead of SUCKING FACE WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND! THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM!"

Her eyes go big and her cheeks turn pink, but she doesn't look up.

"What is sucking face?" Ahkmenrah asked.

"I'll tell you later," Frankie says softly.

After an hour, Frankie finds the spell required for the body return, and I am out of the smelly fur clothing and I look at Frankie who promptly hops off the desk, "So, everything is alright, and it's been a real ball, so... bye," She took ahold of Ahkmenrah's hand and started away.

"Stop right there!" I order.

She turns slowly, "Yes?"

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Uhhhh..."

"I don't believe so, Frankie. You are on punishment!"

"Yeah, so I'm going to go upstairs and think seriously about what I've done, feelin' bad bout it 'n the such."

I snort. "I should think not."

FRANKIE'S POV

So I'm grounded to Larry's appartment the next night, not allowed to leave, and I am so bored. I mean, like watching paint dry bored. Actually, the paint sound fun...

There's naught to do, but study... which is pretty much what I'm supposed to be doing. But I don't want to. I want to sneak out, go to the museum and see Ahk. But of course I can't.

Well, I can, but Rikki told Derek, the guy behind the desk in the lobby that I was grounded, and not to leave, so id have to knock him out, which would mean I'd have to sneak into the airducts so I could get behind him, without him seeing me.

I drew out my escape plan, but didn't act on it, due to how small the air vents actually are, and how impossibe they are to squeeze into.

Rikki found the plans, though, and decided I needed another night of punishment. The econd night was even worse than the first. I tried to buckle down and focus, but my mind wandered back to him.

RIKKI'S POV

I wish those two could function properly. I should never have encouraged them. Ahkmenrah can function well enough, but Frankie, this is her first real love and as such she is behaving like a love-struck teen, granter, she is one, but I digress.

I may seem cruel, not letting her see him, but I need her to learn to fulfill her responsibilities. She needs to do her work. She needs to understand that there is a world without her lover.

I just don't want her to get hurt. 


	26. Never on eHarmony

AN: The magically awsome reviewers club now welcomes two new members! Rumbleroar's Apprentice and CoolerThanMe. They have received gold stars in my book. You know you want a gold star to go with the spiffy club jacket... Also, to those who might not know, Frankie's accent is welch, but it sounds sorta irish. She picked it up while over seas. Ok, enjoy, and review.

AHK'S POV

I manage to convince the huns and the civil war mannequins to play some soccer, which takes my mind off Frankie for a few hours. My team wins by a few points, but the joy is short lived. I search for something else to do, but find nothing. I find only the feeling that reminds me somehow of an extra wheel. I sit beside Rikki, "will Frankie be back tomorrow?" I ask, once I pluck up the nerve.

"If she has completed her work, then perhaps."

"And if she has not?"

"Then she will tomorrow."

"Perhaps I could assist her-"

"Ahkmenrah, I realize how much you want to see your girlfriend. I understand how much you miss her, but she has duties to perform, and which must take president over her desire to spend time with you."

I lean my head back against the wall,"I miss her."

"It has only been two days! If the two of you have become so dependant on eachother's company, the time apart will do you well."

"I fail to see how."

"What will you do when she and I leave? It will be months atleast before you see eachother again. You ought to get used to the idea that she won't be at your beck and call. That she won't be with you every second for all of eternity."

"All the more reason to spend every second we have together."

She pats my arm, "I know what you want. Its the same thing she wants, but you must come to terms with reality."

"Reality? What is reality?" I scoff, "Most people would not consider what happens here every night to be reality, but it most surely is."

"While your point is admitable, it does not change the fact that if you and Frankie are too attached to eachother, then one or both of you will be crippled by the seperation. Ahkmenrah, do not think that I don't care about you at all, because I most surely do! I think of you like a younger cousin. But I will not let Frankie be crippled. It is far too dangerous in the feild of work that we call our own."

A full minute of silence passes between us before I can find my tongue, "Are you saying that Frankie is not allowed here so that she can adjust to the absense of her loved one?"

"You make me sound so cruel. No. That's not it at all. My sole objective is to put my apprentice in a quiet environment so that she can study and obtain the knowledge nessisary to the business that we are in. I was simply saying that you will be seperated in a few weeks, at which point, I will do what I can to prevent Frankie from collapsing from lack of you."

The truth of her words didn't make me miss Frankie anyless.

RIKKI'S POV

I feel sort of like a parent who has bought their child an expensive christmas present when I let Frankie come back to the museum. I felt as if I should not have done it, save for the look of emense joy that came upon Frankie's face as she charged off to find her lover.

FRANKIE'S POV

When I find him, in his tomb, I run eagerly into his arms, ignoring my personal protocal regarding his royal guard, and I kiss him. "Hey, sweetheart," I say to him, grinning.

"I missed you," he smiled, taking my hand, leading me to one of the benches in the temple,"I am so glad to see you."

I run my fingers over his face and through his hair,"silly king."

"I am not silly," he said in a dry voice, his brows furrowed.

"Y'are a lil' bit."

"I don't think I am."

"Tis what makes ya so."

"I don't particularly understand, nor do I care," he kissed my forehead.

"What've ya done with yer two night sabatical from me?"

"Oh!" He groaned dramatically, and carried on in like terms, "I was absolutely miserable! There was nothing to do...except play soccer."

"An' by play, ya mean win o'course?"

"Ofcourse. What did you do?"

"Planned numerous 'scapes from Larry's appartment. None of which succeeded, but left to it, I'm sure I'd've built the best o' mousetraps."

"What?" He asked laughing.

"Its a figure of speech, meanin' I'd've 'scaped eventually."

"Perhaps, but you would have gotten yourself caught, and in more trouble for it."

I sigh, defeated, and slumped against him, "Whay're ya so much more rational than me?"

"We balance eachother out," Ahk mused.

"Yeah, that's one way of lookin' at it, but we'd nevera gotten matched on eHarmony."

"What is... eHarmony?"

"Its a website where single people get paired with other single people, 'n s'posedly become happy couples."

"Why would we not be paired? We are happy... aren't we?" His voice suddenly sounded mildly worried.

"O'course we is. We wouldn't've got matched coz we're rather different, 'n folks only get matched who is exactly the same."

"That sounds dull... I am a reanimated mummy, so I don't think I would've gotten paired with anyone-"

"Specially since ya didn't know bout it," I pipe up.

"That would hurt my odds. And you are an... elf, correct?"

"An eighth on Diane's side."

"So what do they do with people like you?"

"Elves? There ain't a whole lot what have problems findin' mates-"

"No, I mean people who no one is like. What do they do when someone is on the website that is special and different from anyone else."

I look down,"You think I'm special?"

"I know you are."

"You'd be surprised..." I mutter.

"Would I?" He asked, almost teasing, pulling me into his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist,"Why?"

"Coz there's a lotta crazies out there like me."

"I don't think you're crazie. I think you're unique... maybe a little eccentric."

I smile, "yer sweet, Ahk," I kiss him, then rest my head on his shoulder. We sit in silence for a few moments, and I ask, "what're ya thinkin' of?"

"Nothing," he lies.

"Don' lie. Y'aint any good at it."

"And you are?"

"Maybe I'm, 'n maybe I ain't, but I for sure ain't bout to tell you if I were."

"The lack of correct grammar is mildly astounding."

I tilt my head and stick out my tongue at him.

Ahk smiled and shook his head, "I believe I would like to go for a walk. Would it please you to join me?"

"I would be honored," I hop up, n drop in a quick mock curtsy, "after you, milord."

He put his crown upon his beautiful head,"no, ladies first, I insist."

"As do I," I joke,"ladies first."

The expression that fixes itself on his face is a mix between his jaw dropping, and a smile. He knew I was razzing him, but he was still somewhat shocked that I had said what I had. His arm slipped around my waist, "the way is wide enough for the both of us to pass at once."

"I believe you are correct, milord," I slip my arm around his waist, and lean close to him.


	27. A Little Red Wagon Full of Hootch

**AN: I guess I have to put a warning here for underage alcohol consuption, and jokes pretaining to those of a homosexual nature. No offense is meant at all, so don't flame me for it. And yes, at some points Frankies accent gets thicker. I got the idea from some hungover irish dudes what came in my familys restaurant and I've talked to them before, and their hangovers made their accents thicker so, I used it. Thanks to my reviewers, and I hope to hear more from you guys!**

RIKKI'S POV

I really have no idea where or how the underaged Frankie got her hands on all that alcohol. She strolled in the museum on night with a little red wagon behind her. The wagon was filled with beer in cans and bottles, a couple six packs of mike's hard lemonade and a bottle of jack daniels. There was also an igloo cooler that was half full of ice. She set up in the security office because Larry looked at her weird when she pulled in her little wagon, not sure where she got that either...

It was up over a hundred degrees, n the AC was barely providing relief from the heat, which was especially harsh on Frankie who had abandoned her usually decent manner of dress for a strappy tank top and jean shorts that cut high above her knees., and she had flip flops that she'd bought from a street vendor for a few dollars.

While I concured that our dress code would have to change with the weather, my clothes were not nearly as revealing as those Frankie had chossen. I wore a short sleeved tshirt and shorts that cut off at my knees. The shortness of my hair offered relief that Frankie could only gain by knoting her hair in two little buns on the back of her head.

Frankie kicked her shoes, if you could call them that, off and ran off to find Ahk and dragged him back in to the cache of illegally accquired alcohol. He drank down a beer and let out a sigh, before sitting back on the couch, dropping his crown to the floor and opened another beer.

Frankie put the cap of a mike's under her shirt and opened it before sipping the lemon flavored beer, smiling, content and pleased with herself.

Larry allowed himself one beer, upon both Frankie and Ahkmenrah's insistances, but excused himself, claiming his duties as a reason, though it stood to reason that he would want to remain sober, so as to keep his job, and he might have moral issues with drinking with people aged below the legal drinking age, as I myself, the oldest of those present was 20.

I pressed a can to the back of my neck for a few minutes before opening it, as Frankie presses her face into the ice in the cooler, and murmured her personal complaints about the heat.

"What do you expect, you foolish child?" I ask, "It's August."

Frankie grinns, and sucks down a new can of beer, then grimaced, "That don' mean it gotta be so damn hot."

"Its not so hot," Ahkmenrah said, as if to quell Frankie's complaints.

"Easy fer you to say, Mr. Egypt,"."They told me my afterlife would be like this," Ahkmenrah mused after a moment, more to himself than to us, "beer and beautiful women- woman!" He corrected quickly before Frankie could question him on the plural "woman". But she smiles like she wouldn't have questioned him seriously, and rests her head on his shoulder, after kissing his cheek.

I sigh and have to admit, aloud that before Frnakie and Ahkmenrah started seeing eachother, I was relatively sure he was gay, which upsets the Pharaoh for a moment and he demands an explanation and I calmly state that there's just something about his face and his voice and just his over all demenor that set off what Frankie calls my "gaydar".

The beers were cooling, and made a hazy of laziness pass over us, which added to the laziness granted by the heat.. When the sun came, Larry felt the need to walk the rather tipsy pharaoh back to his tomb. I was sober, so I helped Frankie home by train. Once back in Larry's appartment, Frankie passed out on the pullout in a happy delerium brought on by her life as well as the drinks. I turn up the AC in the appartment. I lay in the cold air and think to myself about my life, how I came to this point, and of my secrets that I would never tell Frankie or anyone.

I think of how well I understand her and everything she feels.

FRANKIE'S POV

The next night I'm hung over.

Rikki suffers no ill effect from the alcohol the night before. She scolds as if the dull pain in my head is not enough of a punishment.

Nor does Ahk feel any pain. He does however console me for my ache. He lets me rest my head in his lap, and he smooths my hair as I moan and groan. Larry sends me somewhat sympathetic glances.

"I'm ne'er gonna drink again..." I moan, though neither Rikkin nor I take the claim seriously, though I spend the night wincing at loud noises.

Jed and Octavius make their way slowly to us, standing themselves up on the bench, "What's wrong with you, princess?" Jed shouts.

I mumble a curse, then groan out"pipe down a touch, yeah?"

"WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Jed screams an inch from my ear and I honestly consider killing him.

"Why?" I whimper.

"That's what you get for not sharing the hootch," Jed says in a way that I can pracically hear the whine, but by then I was crying. With real tears. Ahk stroked my hair and made hushing sounds softly, as Octavius scolds his cowboy companion, "Jesus, how much'd you drink?" Asked Jed.

"Some?" I do my best to look innocent.

"Well, you shouldnot have done so, as young as you are."

"Bullshizits! Kids in yer toime drank wine loike water!"

"Th-that's because the water wasnot always clean..."

"Don' judge, dude." I whimpered and put my head back down in Ahk's lap.

"I think you have a problem, Frankie," Rikki said.

"Didcha jus' now figure that out?"

"I mean with drinking."

"Nuh-uh!" I sit up fast in protest. Too fast,"ow..." I go back down, "ain't loike I'm alcoholic 'r somethin'."

She sighs, and its the sorta sigh that says more than words. She thinks I'm a drunk. I'm not. I'm so not! I have a mild problem with self medication sometimes's all. And to be completely honest, I got the stuff mostly for Ahk.

He'd told me that he'd had a passion for beer when her were ... younger, so to say, and mentioned that he missed it. So I got me hands on some for him. Don't ask how, coz I ain't bout to say.

Ahk don't seem to mind, in fact I think he rather enjoyed it, but now Rikki thinks I gots a problem.

These are the thoughts that barrel through my aching brain as I lay there with me head in my lovers lap, looking up at my disapproving mentor. I swear to lay off the bottle for a while, and snuggle against Ahk, knowing I gots no real reason to drink anymore anyhow. He kisses my temple, and I try to sleep. 


	28. Alice Tripped Him Up

**AN: So, I just heard Rami Malek is going to be in the fourth Twilight movie. Why, Rami, why? Golly, now there's some part of me that's pondering going to see that dumb movie just because Rami's in it... dumb fangirlness.**

**Ok, I know I haven't updated in a while, and that this is sorta short, but I'm going to try to update again later.**

**Any way, as always, reviewed loved and cared for, much like puppies.**

AHK'S POV

She's so strange to speak to. she is capable of making a person laugh, as well as releasing some token of divinely wise knowledge. But there were two sides to her. She seemed to force herself to be wise and strong and funny, but she was really as fragile as a thin piece of china. Sometimes the facade was a thick stone wall, other times it was nothing more than a sheet of rice paper.

FRANKIE'S POV

Jed and Octavius viewed me as a form of alternative transportation. Perhaps I ought to explain.

My longboard, Alice, was faster than me walking, and hundred times faster than the miniatures walking. Even after the incidents the first night, the boys still wanted rides, or rather, Jed wanted to ride, and Octavius didn't wanna be a wet blanket like Jed accused. He still tended to loook a tad green after our journeys, especially the ones that include me grinding rails, n hopping benches. Yes, I am aware you aren't supposed to really do that much on a longboard, but I'm awsum, and nothing had gone really wrong up to that point. The only reason I think Octavius was really freaked was cuz he watched too many of those web videos of skaters smashing their faces up on the side walk.

At least, when I was giving them rides, Jed wasn't chewing me out over my amount of time spent sucking face with a certain Pharaoh.

Speaking of said Pharaoh and of long boarding, Ahk had been watching me deck around the lobby for a with Jed in my pocket, and one night asked me, "Frankie, would you show me how to..." he gestured towards the board at my side.

That's how I ended up trying to help a Pharaoh balance on a longboard, I walked along side him, his palms pressed against mine. He was sorta wobbly. When I figured he'd be alright on his own, I let go.

I was wrong and he got two feet before he fell flat on the floor. but he don't hurt himself none, since I broke his fall.

"Are you alright?" Ahk looks down on me.

"Roight as rain. You?"

"I'm alright, You broke my fall, you know."

"Truely? I ain't nticed it t'all."

He smiles and kisses me. It wasn't really his normal chaste kiss. So when Larry comes into the room to scold me about letting my dearest Alice roll out into the corridor, where he'd gone and sllipped on it, he saw me pressed to the floor under Ahkmenrah, engaged in some serious tonsil hockey. I'm usually pretty on top of it, and aware of my surroundings, so that I was mildly miffed that I didn't hear him come in.

He cleared his throat politely, in a way that made it sound as if he'd been doing so for a few moments.

Ahk sat up quickly, his cheeks tinted red, "Larry..."

"You really should be more careful," Larry said, "Your board was out in the hall." He leaned it against the wall by the door, stone faced, "and may I request that you not do that," his and gestured to the space that our heads had moments ago occupied, "in public? if you have to do tat, you should probably be doing it in your room," he looked pointedly at Ahk.

"We'll consider the proposition," I say.

"Alrighty," Larry walks away, shaking his head, and left.

"Oh, gods! That was horrible!" Ahk moaned, hiding his face in his hands.

I manage to laugh, "I thought it were funny really."

"Oh, Of course you would!" he looked at me, eyes narrowed.

"Don' be cross with me, hon, it was just funny."

"How?"

"What's got you in such a lather?" I ask, genuinely concerned. he was never so on pins like this.

Ahk's brow furrows, then relaxes, "I appologize."

"Yer so odd, "I tap the end of his nose, I get up and help him to his feet.

"I haven't a clue what I'd do without you, " Ahkmenrah admits, "the boredom might actually kill me."

"You'd only come back to life the next day, though," I said, pointing out the flaw in his plan.

"Perhaps," he fauxs blaze, then quickly snatches me up in his arms, "Or maybe I would just lie in my sarcophagus-"

"You hate small places."

"Maybe I'd just walk out into the sun."

"Don' even joke like that," I said, suddenly serious. I couldn't stand the thought of it.

"You could find someone else," he said in a calm voice, as if he truely believed it.

"No, I couldn't," I take his face in my hands and look at him, "why'd y'always put yerself down?"

"Why do you?"

'Well, he's got me there,' I think.

His soft dark eyes wait for my answer.

"Because I want you to understand that you can leave me, and i wouldn't hold it against ya."

"Well, I won't, no matter how hard you try to convince me that you are the spawn of Set."

"Even when it's more or less true."

He olds me even tighter, "If you have committed crimes in your past, i don't care. Just try to behave for me."

"But what if there's something in me that can't change?" I ask softly, part of me didn't mean for him to even hear my words, I press my hand to my chest, "What if I'm just damaged goods?"

He leans over and softly kisses me, "You are worth everything i have ever owned, and more. You are not damaged."

"Oh, sweet boy," I whisper, "If only you knew how damaged I truely am."

He holds my face in his hands, "Tell me," he commands, soft enough for it to actually sound tempting.

"Maybe next time," I pull away, snatch up my board, and leave my perplexed lover behind.

**Review. **


	29. Frankie's Not Selfish

**AN: Yep, two chapters in one day. Win! Ok, so this chapter gets mildly graphic. References to potential sexual intercourse. In this case I'm not sure whether or not I can write this and give you warning, because the whole chapter leads up to it. If you don't want to read it, that's all I can really say.**

AHKMENRAH'S POV

I want to tell her that I know.

I know why she thinks she is damaged. I want to tell her that what she suffered does not make her damaged. Not to me.

I love her, but he's so fragile, and I'm constantly afraid that if I am not careful, she'll break like a china faced doll. Sometimes she would give me these blank stares when I would almost go too far, or she'd start fidgeting, but she never says for me to stop. She never cries in front of me. She always leave the room if it looks like she's going to, up to the roof and ask to be alone. I would obey her requests for solitude, thought I wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

Frankie didn't want me to comfort her, or even admit that she might need it.

It was like she was afraid of me seeing anything other than strength in her, as if she feared I would reject her for "weakness." i wanted to be there for her, and she doesn't want me to be.

This passive approach to our relationship might just be the death of me.

FRANKIE'S POV

Ahk is REALLY good at soccer. Actually, everyone in the museum is pretty talented, and I guess the statement that my boyfriend is a soccer god is a mite bit biased.

I've never been big on spectating sports, but here it's different. There's this aura of energy and excitement, that is matched no where else on earth. Ahk usually played with the Huns but every now and then another team would draft hi for a game. i don't remember a single game he didn't play in.

As I've stated before, just about every game evolves into a party. The parties were pretty bangin' since everyone's adrenaline was pumped from the game. The music pounded from the speakers into the floors and walls and into everyone, turning the floor into a giant mosh pits of sorts. I always danced with Ahk, because he wants me to, because no one else ever asks, and oh, yeah, because i hearts my boyfriend, and dancing is the closest he'll let me get to him without him backing away, and looking all guilty and apologizing a bunch. dancing with me meant he could b as close as he wanted without feeling embarrassed, as if he actually did anything worthy of being embarrassed, instead of just reacting to natural desires.

He acts as if anything he would do would break me. Shatter me into a million tiny pieces. But, some part of me almost wanted to be broken. The idea intriqued me. The idea of being broken meant that I could rebuild myself, but at the same time, I do admit it scared me. I still hadn't got around to telling him how broken I already was, so he hadn't the foggiest. I don't think I ever gave it away. I never told him to stop, I mean, we never really went all the way or anything, but i think i might have been incapable of denying him anything.

It was odd that intimacy was the one thing that I had always found mildly disgusting, at least I had since I was fourteen. But it didn't seem wrong when I thought about it with Ahkmenrah. I still didn't get what was so great 'bout sex, at least from a woman's side. i understood that men liked it, but I hadn't any positive experience to draw from, so I figured the only enjoyment a woman could have from it was pleasing a man they loved. The only other reason i understood was conditioning. We were potentially conditioned from childhood to put out, like in Brave New World.

But as it stood, my personal stance on intimacy was of little import, as Ahkmenrah seemed to shy from the idea of laying with me. This reaction to his desires confounded me.

One night, during one of the after game parties, I took Ahkmenrah away from the party, up the stairs, and up to the roof. I walked backwards, pulling him with me. i sat on one of the AC boxes that were up there. i pull him close to me and I kiss him. he stands there between my legs, and pulls me tighter against him than he ever had dared before.

AHKMENRAH'S POV

I personally blame the adrenaline. It makes you feel like you can do anything, and you don't think much of what you're doing.

So i pulled her tight against me. Her arms, her legs, her whole body greeted me. her legs wound themselves tight around my waist, while her fingers fumble at my Ushek (collar). I reach back and push them away, and take the thing off, and shrugg out of ,my robe.

Her small hands clasp themselves to my body an she kisses my neck, my shoulders, my chest.

She wouldn't let me reclaim her lips for my own. Her hands touched my belt, and her hand brushed my stomach on the way, and they felt so cold. How was she not burning? My whole body felt almost uncomfortably hot. The loss of my robe did not aid me, not in the least, so the thought of discarding the rest of the confining material was most welcome. She took her time with the belt, and her lips returned. How was she not hot? Did she not feel this demon heat?

She did not feel the heat...

It snapped in to my mind too quickly. I snatch her face in my hands, and force her to look at me. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breath was ragged, but her eyes were void of all desire.

"Somethin' wrong?" she asks, concerned.

"I... I can't do this unless..."

"I brought protection," she whispers, almost sounding relieved.

"I don't know what that means, but I don't think that was what I was going to say. I can't do this unless I'm entirely sure you want this too."

"Oh, s'at all?" her leans back into me.

I hold her face still, "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you want this?"

"If I din't would I be sitting here with my legs wrapped 'bout ya?"

"Maybe you would."

She slumps a little.

"Do yo want this for you or for me?"

"Fer ya," She says, admiting, but there's no trace of guilt on her face.

"Not in the least for yourself?"

"No?"

"Then I can't do this."

"But you want to-"

"But you don't. i won't force myself on you, my love," I take her legs from around my waist.

She pulls me back, "Ahk, I don' understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"Did I do somethin' wrong?" she asks. i must have looked confused because she goes on, "d'ya wan' me t' take of my clothes, or lay down, or-"

"You haven't done a thing wrong, I promise."

"Then why don' ya take me?" tears are creeping into her voice.

I pull her into my arms, and I hold her close, "I won't have you like this because the first time I love you, i want you to want it as much as I do."

"But if I wait fer my own benefit, I'd be selfish."

"It's alright to be selfish sometimes, Frankie," I stroak her hair, "I'll wait for you. I promise you this, I'll never use you like that."

She shoves me back roughly, "What the fuck d'ya want from me? GODDAMNIT!" she yells, "I try 'n make ya happy,'n ya act all high 'n moighty 'n selfless!"

I was honestly at a loss for words. How does one respond to that? She storms out, still yelling at me. When she's gone, I stand there wondering if perhaps I should've done what she wanted and taken her, but the thought doesn't stay long.

The fact remains thus; I will never use Frankie for my own pleasure, no matter how stubborn she may be.

I should have shouted back and called her a slut for the way she threw herself at me, but I could never do that, I know. I lover her too much to insult her like that. I had wanted her, too. I might not have stopped myself in time.

As sleep falls over me with the sun, I make a note to keep an eye on that in the future.


	30. The Innocence of Nick

**AN: Ok, so in the reviews for the last chapter it was brought to my attention that the warning on the last chapter might cause alarm. I should tell you that through the course of this series there will be mention of sex, either discussions of, or actual acts. In cases where it can be done, I will put warnings right before the lemons. In this chapter there's not only discussions about intimacy, but a Nicky appearence! He also talks about sex, but only briefly.**

**As always, reviews are loved!**

FRANKIE'S POV

I am a complete and utter failure!

Why does my boyfriend not want me?

He said he didn't want to USE me... what the hell does that mean? He acted as if I wasn't offering myself up on a silver platter.

And what did he mean by asking me whether or not I wanted it? Wouldn't I've put up a fight if I was opposed to what he should have done? Would I have brought him up there in the first place if it wasn't chill with me? If he wanted me so damn much, why didn't he take me?

I wait for him the next night. Ahkmenrah exits his sarcophagus, looks at me, gives me a soft, quick peck on the lips, says, "Hello, Frankie," and keeps on his way to the display case where his crown sits proudly. Not another word, or apology or anything. I lean in the doorway that leads into the sarcophagus display, and I watch him. When he has the crown placed firmly on his head, he looks at me, "Are you alright?"

"Jus' ducky," I say flatly.

"Are you still cross with me over what happened last night?" he asked, completely oblivious.

"Oh, no. Why'n earth'd i be in a lather jus' coz my lover won' lay hand to me?" I say as sarcastically as I can.

"I never said I didn't want you. I just said I wanted to wait unti-"

"So, ya don' want me roight here, roight now?"

"I didn't say that-"

"Ya kinda did! If you wanna wait, ya've made a conscious decision on the matter!"

"Yes, I decided I don't want to use you for my own personal pleas-"

"You jus' keep on sayin' that, 'n I keep sayin' I don' give a flyin' fuck! If you wanna do it, I got no objections to makin' you happy!"

"But I have an objection to your apparent lack of self worth!"

"I love you, Ahk, an' if you wanna fu-"

"I don't want you to-"

"'N I don' want you to feel..." I wave my hand, sorta shrugging, " Ya know."

"I have not been with a woman in THREE THOUSAND YEARS! I personally doubt a few more decades would bother me much!"

"But there's no real reason fer ya not to get some if you want it!"

"I've given you a reason!"

"Not really! All you've said is tha' I don' wanna screw 'round with ya, which may I point out once more that if I didn't want to, I wouldn't've been TRYING TO!"

"What in the name of all that's holy are you two yelling about?" Rikki yelled over us, LArry was by her side, but looked sorta like he personally would have prefered to wait outside.

"We heard you downstairs..." he offered.

"Well, he don' wanna lay me," I point at the flabberghasted Pharaoh.

"I never said I didn't want to!" Ahk corrected, "Believe me I want to."

"Then what exactly is the problem?" Rikki asked in her dry voice.

"He won't do it!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air at the ridiculousness of the current situation.

"It's no business of theirs what we do or don't do," Ahk said simply, stating his discomfort at the adults being brought in to the argument.

"which we ain't, simply coz you won' lemme."

"I don't want to pressure you!"

"Who's pressured? I gave myself up willingly. You was the one what backed down, 'n said you wasn't up for it."

Ahk glanced at Rikki and Larry, "Could you guys give us some privacy?"

"No, yeah, sure. No problem," Larry started to back out of the room, tugging Rikki's sleeve, resulting in her sending him a death glare, "Uh, just try and keep it down. Nicky's here tonight, and I don't rally want him hearing your stuff..."

"Yes, because your thirteen year old know nothing about sex," Rikki said sarcastically.

"No, I just think it's better for him not to hear his role model arguing about it with your apprentice."

Ahk shakes his head, "Why did you bring them into this?"

"Coz they said they'd heard us, so odds'r that the already knew what was up."

"Dammit, Frankie! Why are you even mad at me? I've gone out of my way to treat you properly. Isn't that what you want? Me to love you? Do you want me to treat you without a thought, as if you were nothing more than a piece of property?"

I pause, "No. But I don' get it! If you want me so much, ain't you s'posed to..."

"Force my desires on you?"

I shrug.

He puts his hands on my shoulders, "You've been with men before."

"Yeah."

"Did you love any of them?"

I can't make myself look at him, so I shrug.

"You know it can be pleasure for you as well, yes?"

"Can it?" I ask before I can stop myself. I look up at him.

Ahkmenrah smiles, a small smile playing on his lips, "Yes."

I rest my head on his chest and wrap my arms around his middle. His skin is so warm. I wonder what it would be like to lay with him, if it would be different, good. Should I wait like he wants me to?

"Just wait until you're sure that it's something that you really do want. I can wait as long as you need me to."

My face feels warm, the metal of the ushek cools me a little, "I'm sorry I yelled at you like that."

"It's alright," he smiles, turns my face up to him, and kisses me for a moment, and my head swims in the stars.

"I like that. I think I'd like some more," I whisper. I'd heard the line in an old Bacall picture, and fell head over for it.

He smiles, kisses me again, then lets me go and starts away, "I'm glad that's settled."

"Ahk," I stop and look at his face, "How will I know?"

"How will you know what?"

"How will I know when I want it enough?"

"You'll just know..." He said somewhat nervously.

"But... how? What's it feel like?"

"Desire?"

"Yeah."

He looks up at his Anubis guards, as if hoping they'll help him out.

"We can talk 'bout it later, if you'd prefer..."

"No... I guess we should talk about this. I just don't want to keep Nick waiting.

"You got plans."

"Yes."

"Then g'on, " I smile and softly push his shoulder towards the door, "We'll talk later."

AHKMENRAH'S POV

Nick brought his PS3 and we played car racing games in the security office, with the volume turned down low. Nick locked the door as soon as the wires were hooked up.

After the third bout of races, I ask, "Are you supposed to be doing something else?"

"I told Dad I had some history homework to do."

"Do you?" I glance at him from the corner of my eye, looking at him, but also trying to watch the cars on the television screen.

"Ehn, I don't need any help, and it's not due for a few days."

"Why lie about it?"

"You know how he is about stuff like that," Nick said, turning the little blue car around the street corner.

"You shouldn't lie to him."

"Frankie lies."

"Frankie does a lot of things, or has done them."

"Then why do you spend all you time with her?" Nick asked.

I let out a sigh, "It's complicated."

"She's kinda hot," Nick mentioned off handedly.

"I didn't choose to love her."

"No, but you do choose to spend every waking moment with her."

"Is that why you're angry?" I'm not with luck tonight.

"I'm not angry, I'm just being honest."

"Angrilly honest."

"It's just that having her around makes you act like there are no other people on earth but her."

"Is that why you locked the door? You don't want her walking in."

Nick says nothing.

"You're still my best friend, Nick. No one can take that place."

"Uh-huh."

"Really!"

"Yeah, you say that now," his little blue car ran across the finish line, and he placed the controller down on the coffee table in front of him, and rested back waiting for the next level to upload, "I mean, I can't say I blame you. I mean, if I had a girlfriend, you might never see me again."

"Oh, come on. You're making me feel like a jerk."

"Have you guys even done it, yet?"

"Nick, that really isn't any of your business."

"You haven't? What do you guys do with your time?" he asked, incredulous.

"Nick," I pointed, "The thing has loaded," I pick up my controller.

The cars speed about the streets.

"Seriously, you haven't done it?" Nock asked again.

"No."

"Dude... you've been seeing each other for a month."

"I'm in no rush. And Frankie's immortal too, so it isn't like if we don't 'get jiggy with it' right now she will get old and it will never happen, so just chill."

"But dude-"

"Nick, do we really have to talk about this?"

The teen fell into silence.

"I'm sorry it's just that is a truely private thing and I don't feel right talking about it, especially considering how innocent Larry seems to think you are."

Nick lets out a quick snort, "You know how parents are."

I nod, though I'm not sure. When I was his age, my parents had begun to search for a wife for me. I was expected to know and understand all things that went with marriage, though no one had really told me much of anything on the matter.

"Have you..." I search for the phrase Nick had used, "done it?"

Nick snorts again, "I wish. None of the stuck up preps I go to school with will come anywhere near me. Except for the Girl's Field Hockey Team."

"Why don't you ask one of those girls."

"Are you kidding? They'd squish me. those chicks are scary," he shudders a moment, "I'm pretty sure they're gay, too."

"You shouldn't judge."

"If you saw those girls, you'd run for cover."

"I'm sure they're nice people. You should really learn not to judge a book by it's cover."

He just shakes his head, "I win again," he says as his car beats mine by a few seconds, "You're getting better though."

"Thanks."


	31. Don't Do It

**AN: I'm so sorry I've neglected you guys. College... Anywhoo, I luv my review buddies. They are awsum!**

FRANKIE'S POV

The vampiric psychopath struck twice more in the last few weeks of our stay in New York. The Coroner's Report showed that the second of the two victims showed signs of a slow and painful death, while the first died relatively quickly be comparison.

Zeo brought us the case files that his man in the coroner's office had smuggled for him. He also brought a small cage in which he kept a jelly donut named fluffy that he kept as a pet due to a prank/confrontation from a person higher up in the community. He helped us break into the vic's appartment before any dumb mortal flatfoots screwed up any evidence. It didn't matter what we took because even if they had the answer staring them in the face they wouldn't know it.

I got her laptop, which we sort through. There was a bunch of stuff that could be skipped over, like the college work. The woman, Helena something, kept a journal in her computer. In the beginning it was precise and detailed, but it started becoming blurry about a month ago, and the daily log become bi-weekly at best.

She began to describe a man, "He's the kind of guy I wouldn't give the time of day to usually. But he's special. Really special."

As I read, I assumed she meant her boyfriend, "I saw him again tonight, though I know I shouldn't. He say it's alright, and that he loves me. But I don't know what to think," she wrote on, never refering to him by a name, but by "him", or "he", "I look so tired and I look like crap. He says that happens at first to everyone. I feel like crap. He wants to meet up again tonight. I'm tired, but I don't dare say no, I don't have much left to give him. But I know, I know, I can't say no"

That was her last entry, a few days before she died.

The second victim was killed relatively quickly by comparisson, as I said before. The expulsion of her blood happened within an hour or so. The girl was homeless and her belongings couldn't be found for identification or analyzation. She was my age, maybe a little older, probably a runaway.

She could have been me.

"They're two different girls from two different worlds. They had absolutly nothing in common. Why did he choose them?" I asked Rikki.

"Helena's blood was drained slowly, while the runaway was quickly disposed of..." she said.

"Maybe he hates well off people."

"Or he meant to keep the college girl, but lost control. He was thirsty, he took down the first woman he saw."

"Like buying a bottle of water from CVS," I sigh, "How do we catch him?"

Rikki looked away an I knew what she was thinking.

"We can't?"

"Not unless he gets sloppy and kills again, and leaves evidence behind."

"Fuck," I lean back in my seat.

"Tell me about it..."she looks over the computer screen and the papers I'd printed out, "Go play with your Pharaoh, it will get your mind off the depressing nature of our job."

I get up slowly and leave the work loathing my feelings of helplessness.

As I walk to Ahk's room I ponder the nature of my occupation. I am to protect innocent non-magics. but the most dangerous of magics are too smart to be caught. If you can't catch them, how do you protect people from them. It's like trying to catch mist in a jar, or a butterfly net.

I force myself to smile at Ahk, and accept his kiss. He looks at me and knows I'm down and asks if i want to talk about it. I say no.

A few minutes later the whole story was pouring out of my mouth and I couldn't stop it. He don't talk, just listens. When my problems have been properly relayed, I sigh and sit on the floor.

"You can catch him," Ahk assures me.

"Only if he kills again. gods I hate this job."

Ahk wraps his arms around me, "It'll be alright."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You don't trust me?"

I can't help but crack a smile, ""course I do."

"Then trust me now."

"When?"

"I don't know. I just know it will. You're good at your job."

"If he don' strike again in the next few weeks we gotta leave."

"Leave?"

"We'll likely be sent on another job once you lot start on night hours. We'll stay a week to be sure everythin's fine, then we gotta leave."

His face goes blank, but his eyes are pained and confused, "I don't want you to leave."

"An' I don' wanna leave ya... tell ya what. I'll be back soon's I get some vacation time."

"When will that be?"

"I dunno," I admit, "Whenev the bosses say. it's bouta month of free time though."

The arms around me tightened, like he was never gonna let go, and that would be enough to keep me here, simply his sheer will power. I wished so deeply it was.

"The world's a flipped up place," I murmur.

"You sound tired."

"I ain't slept in two days. Been diggin' through that jane's notebook fer clues, didn't find 'nuf to help us out. But apparently she knew the guy what did it, 'n was offerin' herself up willin'ly."

"Why would someone do that?"

"I blame Twilight."

"What?"

"It's a book 'n movie series bout some chick what falls all goofy for a vamp. I mean don' gemme wrong, there's some blood suckers what ain't half bad, but there is some what ain't right in here."

He looks at me with no real expression for a minute than says, "What if I was a vampire?"

"T'would 'splain why ya can't go out in the sun."

"I mean would you let me bite you?" he kisses my neck softly.

I thought for a minute, "Yes."

"You might die like those girls."

"I'd still do it."

"Do you want to die?"

The question threw me. How should I respond to the question, when I've wanted to die?

"Not right now."

"Later?"

"Maybe... I dunno what I'll feel later. Why're y'askin'?"

He reached out and took off the wrist cuff I wore. I started to pull back, but he held tight. The faint scar was there for him to see. He ran a finger over the pale line.

"Why did you do this?"

I pull my wrist but he don't let go.

"Kara, why?"

It was the first time he'd ever called me by my birthname.

"I don' wanna talk 'bout it."

He strokes the scar for a moment, "Promise me you'll never do that again."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"'coz I dunno what's gonna happen, or how I'll feel."

"I don't care what happens. Don't hurt yourself. Come and talk to me!"

"There may be thin's I can't tell ya."

"Like what?"

I almost tell him...

"Nothing, "I say, he lets go and I snap the cuff back on.

" Do you know what I would do if you died?"

"Forget me."

"No. I'd go out in the sun."

I stare at him.

"So don't, " he whispered, close to me, "I've lost everything before, and losing you would be worse."

I can't stop staring. The things he's saying. He can't really mean them. I take his hand in mine, and lean my forehead on his shoulder, "I won't."

He kisses the top of my head, "This has been a depressing enough evening."

"Ain't that the truth."

"I meant what I said. Everything's going to work out."

"I know, I just hope there ain't too much blood b'tween then 'n now."

"Just becareful."

I give a quick snort, "D'ya know anyone more careful th'n I?"

"Yes. Rexy for one."

I stick out my tongue at him.

"Very mature," he observed dryly.

"'Ey, I warn'd ya 'bout me!"

"Indeed, but I believed you were using hyperbole. I didn't think you'd be this crazy."


	32. Night Hours Begin

**AN: Ok, final chapter of this part. I'll get part three up soon. Reviews loved!**

FRANKIE'S POV

The rest of our time flew by, slipping through my fingers like sand. Next thing I knew we were standing in the middle of the lobby as people flooded it too see what was in store for those who attended the new night hours that were set up for weekends after the first week. The first week they were open every night so the exhibits would get used to the hours and the people.

It went pretty well, if you ignore the curator, Dr. McPhee who had a constant stick up his butt. He even scolded a toddler for hugging Sacajawea. You can only imagine what he thought of me, honestly not much. By that I mean he, like many middle aged squares viewed me as a punk, which I might have been, but that didn't automatically make me bad as they seemed to think I was.

Teddy gave tours of the first floor from the back of Texas, which surprisingly didn't cause a McPhee hissy fit.

Attila did story time and the children hung on his every word even though they didn't speak his language.

Ahk would sometimes give tours of his tomb, translating the heiroglyphs on the walls, or explaining the pictures. Sometimes he would sit in the lobby with his tablet and explain it's history to the groups that went by. Dexter the cantankerous capuchin was allowed to hold it so long as he didn't leave. It seemed Dexter understood and respected Ahk, probably because he knew the tablet was what gave him life, and knew that Ahk controlled it and could take his life if Ahk was disrespected, which he would never do.

Cecil, Reginald and Gus were at Night Hours, and they behaved for the most part, except for when Gus asked Ahk, "What happens to this thing after closing?"

Ahk calmly replied that it was kept, "in a safe place, I assure you."

One little girl asked if the tablet did anything, and when Ahk asked for clarification, her snooty know it all sis asked, "Yeah, what's the point if it doesn't do anything?"

Ahk glanced at Dex, who chirped approvingly. Ahk grinned, excitedly, and said, "Actually, it has a magical power that brings all the exhibits in the museum to life every night!"

"No, seriously. What does it do?" says the know it all.

Ahk's smile slowly fell, and he said, "Nothing it's just for decoration."

The younger sister whispered, "I knew it," to the elder who smiled smuggly, and I waited for Ahk to hit tablet squares to turn them into mice.

Over the last week of our stay, I carted around an old polaroid and I shot pictures, both candid and otherwise, for my own personal memories. I had one of the Moai blowing a big pink bubblegum bubble. I had Teddy and Saca, and Nicky on Rexy's back, but that was blurred because Rexy's head shot up into the frame at the last minute. There were the Jackals standing in place, guarding my lover's room. They stood very still under Ahk's order when tour groups went through. I had just bout all the miniatures, and the Huns sitting in with the children during Attila's story time. I snapped a group portrait shot of the Vikings all looking very stern except one grizeled warrior who grinned wide. The Civil Warriors had been shot, too.

The Confederates had a rough time, especially with the younger high school students who scolded them for fighting to own people. Id' try to explain, since the Confederates couldn't, that there were other factors that had contributed to the Civil War besides slavery, and that only a third of Southerners could actually afford to own slaves. Most fought over tarrifs or state's rights, but no one really ever listened.

I'd taken numerous pictures of Ahk, of course, more than anyone else, because I wanted to remember all of him. I didn't know when I would see him again, and I knew it would kill me to forget anything.

The last night after everyone was gone, I sat with him in his tomb, leaning his arms and practically crying. I didn't want to leave, but I had no choice, did I?

I helped him into his sarcophagus and held his hand tight until the tablet would just start to glow, and he withdrew and closed the lid.

Tears pricked at my eyes as I went downstairs to where Rikki was summoning a portal to our next job. Larry stood there quietly watching her.

"Well, we'll see you, Leslie," she said, calling him a girl's name as always.

"I guess."

"Keep an eye on him fer me, will ya?" I ask.

"Sure."

And the portal,the hole in the fabric of the universe opened up for us, and we stepped through. I looked back and saw Larry waving.

I waved back before I was spat out on the other side of the rip.


End file.
